I Know What You Think Uchiha Sasuke Love Story
by fullmetalhottie
Summary: Two years have passed since the night that changed Uchiha Sasuke and Sohma Tami forever. He hates her, she hates him back. But will they be able to overcome their pasts to move towards a brighter future?  Suuuper fluffy summary, I know...but it's good!
1. Chapter 1

**Sasuke Story, Age 12, Section 1: Beginning & Land of Waves Arc**

Hey, everyone! I hope you liked the Age 10 section, and I hope my faithful readers from Quizilla have been able to find me! I noticed last time, after I'd already posted, that I hadn't put up a disclaimer! D: I never put them up on Quizilla; my disclaimers were in my journal. I don't see the point of them, because this is OBVIOUSLY a fanfiction (hence, I'm on ...), I suppose they're necessary. So, here's mine: I don't own Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura (thank God), or any of the other characters! That right belongs to Kishimoto-san! However, I DO own Sohma Tami and her awesome kekkei-genkai (and bad assness). I also own whatever bits of the plotline I made up! I think that's acceptable.

Also, before you get to reading, Tami has changed a great deal since Age 10; she swears, for instance. A LOT. Also, if there's anything that looks like this_ 'insert dialogue, blah blah...' _that's her telepathy. Just so you aren't confused, though I think I made that bit quite obvious...Anywho,_ thanks for reading! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 1**

It's been two years since that night. My control over my powers has returned to normal, though now I am subjected to the thoughts of others with a single touch. It sure irritates the hell out of my brothers, but hey, they constantly annoy the hell out of me. It's just us now; my uncle comes to check on us every now and then, but that's it. Not that he needs to; I've taken control of the household – ruling it with an iron fist, mind you – and none of my brothers have dared to challenge me.

I wake to the sound of rough thuds and yelling. My brothers are at it again. I growl and swing my legs off my bed, stretching before walking over to my bedroom door. Upon yanking it open, I see my brothers in Bo's room, across the hall and one door down, beating each other up.

"Shut the hell up!" I snap loudly and they fall silent. "It's seven in the morning! What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" They slowly distance themselves.

"Oh shut up, Tami," Fushen mutters and I fixate him with a rather hard glower. He shuts his mouth and I feel tremors of fear shoot up his spine. I turn on my heel and walk back into my room, shutting the door behind me. I lean against the wood and it suddenly strikes me that today is my first day as a genin. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. Something tells me today is going to be BAD. Well, worse than usual, at any rate. I dress and carefully pick up my headband. Iruka-Sensei's visit flashes through my head as I look down at the shiny metal.

_A knock on the door pulled me out of my reading and I hurried to answer it. Upon opening the door, I find it's a man, no older than twenty-five, with chocolate brown hair pulled back in a taut ponytail. He had a scar running along the bridge of his nose and he couldn't be higher than Chunin rank, I decided. He smiled at me warmly._

"_Hello. You must be Tami-chan."_

"_Um…yeah. Can I help you?" I asked. _

"_Lord Hokage sent me to see you today. Would you like to come with me, or may I come inside?" I step out onto the porch, shutting the door behind me._

"_Let's go somewhere else. My brothers are pissing me off." He nods and begins to lead me away. We walk into town and he begins to speak._

"_How much do you know about the ninja academy, Tami-chan?" he asks. The –chan suffix is beginning to irritate me, but I answer,_

"_Just about nothing." He chuckles._

"_I didn't think you would. Well, the academy is where we teach and train young boys and girls like yourself the ways of the shinobi. Quite recently, we had our graduation test, and I am very proud to say that ALL of our students passed this year."_

"_Have they not before?" I ask coolly, amused._

"_No, we've had one student fail the test twice before, and he failed this year, but he proved himself in a most…unusual way…"_

"_Wait, is he the one that stole the scroll? And beat that chunin bastard Mizuki?" I ask. My brothers had talked about it earlier this week._

"_Yes, he's the one."_

"_Well, what does all this have to do with me?" I ask._

"_All of our graduates are your age, Tami-chan. Lord Hokage wants me to administer the test to you today so you can join your peers as genin."_

"_Alright, what does the test entail?" I ask. "My father…" I stop. Ever since I'd…well…ever since that night, I haven't talked about him. It was something I preferred not thinking about. I feel a twinge of sympathy from him and stop in my tracks, looking up at him. "Don't get me wrong, Iruka-Sensei. I hated my father, and I'm glad he's gone. I just don't like thinking about the fact that __I__ did it." He doesn't respond at first, but finally nods. "And because of…that…my lessons were cut a little short. I just want to make sure I'm capable of doing what you request of me."_

"_Did he teach you how to create shadow clones?"_

"_Yes."_

"_You have to create three replicas. Now you don't have to do it right now; I want you to feel comfortable. No pressure." He faces ahead and I smirk. Cake-walk. I perform the proper handseal behind my back and substitute myself out with one of them, taking to the roofs instead and following a safe distance behind. Iruka walks peacefully alongside the clone and I stealthily follow them to the school. Once in the classroom, he turns to "me". "Okay, whenever you're ready." "I" smirk and vanish with a small 'poof'. "I" then open the classroom door and he says, "Ah, there you-" Another poof and it's gone. "I" tap Iruka on the shoulder and he spins around, only for my third clone to vanish. He turns back around and there I sit, the true me, in a seat in the front row, my feet propped up on the desk. I give him a cool smile._

"_Well, that was fun. Now what?" He picks up a Konoha-Gakure shinobi headband and holds it towards me, grinning in amusement._

"_You're now a genin. You'll be assigned to a Jonin instructor and be in a group of three. Well, four now, I suppose." I stand and walk over to him, taking it and staring at my reflection in the metal._

"_Interesting. My instructor?" He picks up a clipboard and looks it over, thinking._

"_I think I'll put you with Hatake Kakashi. He's tough, and the squad assigned to him is probably our most…diverse."_

"_Very well."_

"_All the graduates will be here tomorrow afternoon to meet their new teachers. Kakashi is a tall man with spiky silver hair. Most of his face is concealed by both his headband and a mask. Just between us…you can probably show up a little late. Kakashi isn't the type for punctuality, unless it's mandatory." I roll my eyes. Great. A lazy teacher._

"_Thanks for the tip, Iruka-Sensei. And thank you for administering the test to me." I bow and walk out._

So here I sit, perched on a branch in a tree outside the academy. Most, if not all, of the students have left with their senseis, so I imagine Kakashi will be arriving shortly. I jump down and go inside. The halls are completely empty and I carefully make my way towards the classroom I'd been in the day before. Okay, a left…then a right…one, two, three…

As I walk closer to the right door, I hear two voices arguing. The first voice I hear is female, and it's whiney and overall painful to listen to.

"Cut it out, Naruto!"

"Why are we the only cell whose teacher hasn't shown up yet?" another voice demands. This one's also whiney, but it's male. "All the other teams have already gone off with their teachers. Even Iruka-Sensei has gone!" A short silence, then,

"Hey! What are you up to, Naruto?"

"Heh-heh-heh-heh! It's what he gets for making us wait!"

"Grow up! I want no part of it!" I reach the door and spot a blackboard eraser wedged between the door and the wall. Elementary. I slide the door open and catch the eraser neatly on my palm. Smirking, I say,

"Personally, I'd have used tripwire, but to each his own, I suppose." I replace the trap and turn to them. The first person I focus on is the blonde in the horribly conspicuous orange jumpsuit – Uzumaki Naruto. The boy who'd so graciously run me down in the street two years ago while I was on my way to the Uchiha compound for the first time.

Speaking of Uchihas, the last one in Konoha is sitting at a desk five feet to my left. He has a look of enraged horror on his face. Jeez, talk about holding a grudge. A bullshit grudge, at that.

"Ahem." I turn to look at my final –

"What the hell is wrong with your hair?" I blurt, staring at her head in disgust. It's pink. Bright, eye-searing PINK.

"Nothing," she says, pulling at a lock of it self-consciously.

"I'll say there is. It's pink."

"It's my natural color, and I think it's lovely," she says defensively.

"I beg to differ."

"Why are you here, anyway? Only graduates are supposed to show up today," she says.

"Uh, what the hell does THIS look like?" I ask, pointing at my headband.

"But I've never seen you at the academy before," she says.

"My, and THAT certainly is the deciding factor for who gets to be a genin, isn't it?" I ask, smirking. She gives me a nasty look, irritated.

"I've met you before!" the blonde suddenly yells, pointing at me.

"Uh…_yeah_," I say, turning my smirk to him. Had he really JUST noticed?

"Uhhh…what's your name again?" I feign a hurt expression.

"You don't remember me? Well, I suppose you can't remember every person you run down in the middle of the road…Naruto."

"Hey, you remembered me!" he says, looking pleased. I shrug.

"Wasn't hard." Before we can continue our conversation, the door slides open and a head spiked with silver pokes in, only to be with the eraser.

"Hahaha! Gotcha! Good one!" Naruto laughs, pointing at him.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I tried to stop him, but Naruto…" I scoff, rolling my eyes at her faked innocence. God, she's such a kiss-ass. She glares at me. "What?"

"Oh yes, you tried SO hard to stop him. You poor girl, overpowered by a prankster. God forbid you break a NAIL." Her contempt for me is rising quickly and this makes me grin. My, this is FAR more entertaining than bossing my brothers around.

"Hmmm…how shall I put this?" our sensei starts brightly. "Based on my first impression, I'd have to say…I hate you!" My three teammates feel a drop in mood, but I just keep grinning and say,

"Aw, sensei, I think I'm going to CRY if you keep that up!" My tone is laced with sarcasm and he looks at me with the one eye he has revealed.

"Ah, you must be the new girl Iruka told me about. The one with the amusing and highly impressive graduating display."

"What gave me away?" I ask innocently.

"Have more respect; he's our teacher!" the girl hisses.

"Shut it, Pinkie, I'm not taking orders from you," I reply cheerfully. This shuts her up.

"Well, let's not dawdle, shall we? Come on, you four." We follow him out and to a roof. "Now, I'd like you all to tell us a little about yourselves."

"Like what?" Naruto asks.

"Yeah, do you mean things like fighting strengths?" I ask.

"No…you know. The usual. Your favorite thing…what you hate the most…dreams, ambitions, hobbies, things like that." I gape at him.

"Is that REALLY necessary, Sensei? I already know as much about my teammates as I care to know, and I certainly don't plan to get all buddy-buddy with any of them. It'd be much more productive for us to share what we're best at and where our weaknesses lie. Anything personal I want to know about my teammates, I'll just…" I eye them and smirk slyly. "…_Pick up_."

"How can you already know us? We just met," the pink-haired girl sneers.

"For your information, you snobby bitch, I met both of them-" I point at the boys. "-Two years ago, and know enough about them to make our team function. Now cut the attitude or I'll kick your sorry ass off this roof and laugh when they scrape you off the concrete like a pancake." She gives me a wide-eyed stare and I settle back against the stairs, having sat forward while I spoke.

"Language," Kakashi scolds lightly, though is amused by my little rant. "And yes, this is necessary."

"Help us out here, Coach. You go first. Show us how it's done," Naruto insists, not grasping the whole 'introduction' thing.

"That's right…You're a complete stranger to us…a mystery," the girl pipes up and I roll my eyes.

"Oh…me? My name is Hatake Kakashi. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like talking about his likes and dislikes. My dreams for the future are none of your business…But anyway, I have lots of hobbies…" I stifle laughter and say,

"Boy, Sensei, you really shouldn't talk so much. Honestly, we don't need to know your life story." Again amused by my humor, he remains silent but I can see his lips curved in a smile under his mask.

"Now it's your turn. Starting with you, on the right."

"Me, right? My name is Uzumaki Naruto! What I like is instant cup ramen! What I like even better is when Iruka-Sensei treats me to the ramen at Ichiraku Noodle Bar! What I hate is the three minute wait after I pour in the boiling water. My dream is to one day become a better shinobi than Lord Hokage! And then all the villagers will have to acknowledge my existence at last!" I chuckle a bit and say,

"With a mouth like yours, Naruto, it's hard NOT to acknowledge your existence, believe me." He blushes a bit, but grins.

"Next!" Kakashi says. Oh boy – Uchiha's turn.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are plenty of things I hate, but I don't see that it matters, considering there is almost nothing I like. It seems pointless to talk about "dreams"…that's just a word…But what I do have is determination. I plan to restore my clan, and there's someone I have sworn…to kill." There are several reactions to this; Naruto's freaked out, Sakura's in awe, and Kakashi seems to have expected this. I merely roll my eyes again. Figures.

"Alright…the young lady with the pink hair…"

"I am Haruno Sakura. My favorite thing is…well, it's not a thing, it's a person…A boy…and that boy is…Uh, let's move on to my dream…" She blushes furiously, squirming in place and the whole time her eyes have been on Sasuke. I can't help it – I start laughing. Not just laughing; laughing _hysterically_. I laugh so hard I fall over, lying upside-down on the staircase. She whips around. "WHAT?" she snaps.

"Y-you are SO good at making an ASS of yourself, you know that? And I thought my brothers were dumb! Man, they can't even compare to your level of complete stupidity!" She flushes once more, this time in anger, and continues,

"I hate Naruto and THAT girl!" Naruto has a meltdown, but I merrily flip her off.

"Hate you too!"

"Okay, since you're so talkative, why don't you take your turn?" Kakashi-Sensei says, staring down at me. I sit upright and say,

"Fair enough. My name's Sohma Tami. My hobbies involve tormenting my brothers, training, and laughing at the fucked up things people think. I hate Sakura, my brothers, Sakura, the color pink, Sakura, and people who hold grudges for bullshit reasons." I feel eyes on me and turn to Sasuke. He's glaring daggers at me and I respond with a sneer. "Not a whole lot I particularly like – life is life. Naruto's alright so far, I guess, but other than that nothing comes to mind. I suppose my primary ambition is to master my kekkei-genkai and take over my family. Dreams? Well, I DID have this crazy dream once about being chased down by this _huge_ talking raccoon, but I don't think it counts." My teammates stare at me like I'm insane and I simply shrug. "He asked."

"What do you mean by you enjoy laughing at the things people think?" Sakura asks. "How can you know what they're thinking?"

"Because I can read minds," I answer.

"That's impossible," she asserts. I arch an eyebrow at her.

"Fine, skeptic, give me your hand." She hesitates, then holds it toward me. I take it and images flood my mind as I probe her memories. I grin. "Aw, somebody a little sensitive about their oversized forehead?" She blushes, scowling. Another memory and I laugh. "Are you serious? You got into a fight with your best friend over THIS ass?" I ask, pointing at Sasuke. He throws me a dirty look, but I ignore it.

"H-how do you know Ino and I fought?" she asks.

"I – read – your – mind," I say, speaking very slowly. "I'm not making this up. My family's kekkei-genkai is psychic abilities." She gapes at me, looking impressed, and Naruto shouts,

"Wow! That is so cool! Can you read my mind?"

"Not sure there's much to be read, but I could if I wanted," I reply. He doesn't even catch my insult of his intelligence.

"Well, I'm sure we will all have a chance to experience Tami-chan's powers some other time. We have other business to attend to. I believe we all understand one another. Formal training begins tomorrow."

"Yes Sir! Our first real shinobi mission! What will our duties be?" Naruto asks, snapping to a salute.

"Our first project involves only the members of this cell."

"What? What is it?" Naruto demands, excited nearly to the point of bursting.

"Hurry up, Sensei, Naruto's going to explode if you drag on the suspense," I say sarcastically, grinning at the blonde.

"Survival exercises."

"Survival exercises?" Naruto repeats.

"Our school days were full of survival training!" Sakura objects.

"But you'll have to survive…against me. It won't be your typical practice."

"Well then, what kind of practice will it be?" Naruto asks. I stare at our sensei carefully. His mood had gone from aloof to serious in a heartbeat; he has something up his sleeve. In fact, he chuckles.

"What are you laughing about, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asks.

"Oh nothing, it's just that…if I told you, you'd chicken out," he answers lightly.

"Chicken out…? Why?" Naruto asks, his prior excitement wearing off.

"Of the twenty-eight members of your graduating class, only nine will actually be accepted as rookie genin. The other nineteen will go back for more training. The test we are about to perform has a 66% rate of failure." My teammates' jaws drop, but I simply arch my eyebrow. _66%, huh? _"Hahaha! See? You're chickening out already!"

"That SUCKS! We have been through Hell! What about our graduation test?" Naruto fumes, stomping his feet.

"Oh! We wanted to eliminate all the hopeless cases from your ranks. The ones who are left are the only students who show true potential," Kakashi explains and I nod. That makes sense.

"SAY WHAT?" Naruto roars.

"In any event," Kakashi continues, "we'll meet tomorrow morning on the practice field so that I can evaluate each of your skills and weaknesses. Bring all of your shinobi tools and weapons. And don't have breakfast before-hand…unless you enjoy throwing up." Each of my teammates feel their stomachs lurch slightly at the thought. "The details of your assignment are in this handout. Memorize it…and don't be late!" He hands us each a set of papers, and as he gets to me I make sure our skin touches. I get a glance into his mind and quickly find the information I'm looking for. He doesn't notice, or at least appears not to, and says, "That's it. Unless you have any further questions-"

"I do, actually," I interrupt, raising my hand slightly.

"Yes?" he asks.

"You said that only nine graduates will go on to be rookie genin. Does that mean that one of us, regardless of whether or not we pass as a team, will go back?" The three others feel chills run down their spines. It hadn't occurred to them that one of us would inevitably fail.

"No. I have received special permission to pass all four of you, should you deserve it. So, if this cell passes, we'll have ten genin instead of nine."

"Alright. Thank you, Sensei. Are we good to go?" I ask, getting to my feet. He nods and we start off. I make a quick handseal and using what remains of his mental signature in my mind, I turn to him. I make sure to have very strong eye contact and say, "_See_ you tomorrow, Sensei." He nods, again not noticing that my plans for success are already in motion.


	2. Chapter 2

_Ta daaa! Panda's back! Another disclaimer: I don't own anything that's part of the Naruto series, except for what I actually made up for this fanfiction! (I just want to make sure this isn't taken down...) So, without further ado..._

**Chapter 2**

I wake up the following morning and dress, then head to the kitchen. My contact with Kakashi yesterday had been brief, but I HAD managed to pick up one little trick he'd put in our "assignment". When he'd told us to skip breakfast, he said it was because we were going to throw it back up, when in truth he just wants us to be starving. Why, I'm not sure, but I don't intend to fall for it. And hey, if I vomit, I vomit; it's not that big a deal. Yes, it tastes horrid and makes my teeth feel funny, but I'd rather not risk being hungry and losing focus. My brother's aren't awake yet, thank Gods, and I'm able to eat in silence. My ninja weapons are sitting in my bag, which is next to the front door.

As I eat, I ponder what our assignment is going to involve. He said we would have to survive against him, but that leaves a broad range of possibilities. Will we be able to fight him as a cell, or one-on-one? Will we be able to use any jutsus we have? I smirk. Even if that answer is no, I've already got him under one and he doesn't even know it. It's a very simple, yet highly effective one I'd come across while reading a few research journals my family has recorded. Hopefully I'll be able to get him with another of the same type once at the practice field.

Once I finish, I head out. Only when I'm out on the street do I really notice just how early in the morning it is. A fog settled over the village last night, and there's still thin mist clouding the streets. I walk along lazily, taking in the peaceful quiet of the morning. Once I reach the practice field, however, that silence is, unfortunately, broken by –

"HI TAMI! Good morning!" I groan as I trudge over. The other three are there, all their utilities still on their shoulders.

"Naruto, I know it's hard for you, but would it be possible for you to use your inside voice, just for the next half-hour or so?" I growl. He laughs.

"Aw, are you not a morning person, Tami-chan?" he teases. I grab him by the front of his jumpsuit and give him a menacing glare from under my bangs.

"No, Naruto, I'm not. Perhaps that should be something you remember." I release him, pacified by the shock and fear on his face. I'm a dangerous girl to piss off early in the morning. I set my things down, then sit next to them. A few minutes pass and I say, "Who wants to bet that sensei won't be here for at least another twenty minutes?" Sakura scoffs.

"I'm sure he'll be on time. It's our first assignment; it's important." I smirk up at her.

"I consider that a bet, Sakura. What's the wager?" She's taken aback, for she hadn't thought I was being serious about betting. Finally, she says,

"U-um…If he's on time, then you have to be nice to me." I groan.

"For how long?"

"At least for the rest of the day, though it wouldn't kill you to be nice ALL the time."

"Oh, it might," I retort with a straight face. She glares at me.

"What do you get if you win?" she asks.

"You have to shut up for the rest of the day," I say, smirking. "Though I doubt you could do it."

"I can be quiet!" she snaps. I arch an eyebrow at her, but keep my thoughts to myself. I hear Naruto's stomach growl and turn to him, a grin stretching my lips.

"You actually didn't eat anything?" I ask.

"He told us not to! I don't want to throw up!" he cries, looking worried.

"Oh Naruto, you poor thing," I say, giving him a pitying look.

"Did YOU eat this morning?" Sakura asks.

"Of course I did."

"Why? Aren't you worried you'll throw up?" she asks.

"Pft, no." I smirk at her and say, "Remember that little trick I can do?"

"You mean mind-reading?" she asks. I nod and say, being as innocent as can be,

"Weeell, I MIGHT have touched Kakashi-Sensei yesterday, and MIGHT have just…picked up something of…value."

"You kept information away from us?" Surprisingly, all _three_ of my teammates have rounded on me. It's the first time Sasuke's said anything to me directly in two years. I ignore it and lean back, propping myself up on my elbows.

"Maaaybe. Hey, don't get pissy with me; none of you three came across as very _deserving_ teammates yesterday." Sakura gives me an indignant look.

"We're your teammates! Why shouldn't we get to know?"

"YOU, for one, are a BITCH. You told me flat out yesterday that you hate me. Not very high on my list right now, Sakura," I say coolly. "You, Naruto, don't seem truly interested in being a proper ninja. You obviously aren't very knowledgeable, meaning you probably didn't study much in school. Perhaps you should work on gathering information yourself before asking others to simply give it to you. And YOU –" I say, rounding on Sasuke. "ARE AN ASS." He gives me a deathly glare and opens his mouth to say something in return, but stops when we hear,

"Good morning class!"

"YOU'RE LATE!" Naruto and Sakura yell.

"Meaning I won," I chirp smugly. Sakura gapes at me, and starts to say something, but I say, "Ah-ah-ah! No talking!" She shuts her mouth and simply takes to glaring at me. Kakashi-Sensei sets his bag down and withdraws from it a timer. He sets it on a stump and says,

"I've set this timer to go off at noon." He pushes down the switch and it starts ticking. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out two bells. "I have here two small bells. Your challenge is to steal these from me before the timer sounds. Anyone who fails…doesn't get any lunch. Instead, you will be tied to that tree stump, so I can eat your lunch in front of you." In perfect unison, my teammates' stomachs growl. I fight back a smirk and wait for Kakashi to continue. "All you need is one bell…apiece. But since there aren't enough to go around, two of you are definitely headed for the stump…and whoever they are will be the first two to fail. Two of you are on your ways back to school…and disgrace." I hear Naruto swallow hard, and all three of them feel their pulse rates climb in anxiety. As I've never seen any of them fight, I have no idea what I'm up against. "You may, if you choose, use shuriken. Attack as though you mean to kill, or you'll never stand a chance."

"Is there any other way to fight?" I ask, shrugging comically.

"But…But that's so dangerous!" Sakura cries.

"Hey, no talking!" I remind her.

"You couldn't even dodge an eraser! You're gonna get yourself killed!" Naruto shouts, laughing.

"Only the weak speak loudly. Now, let's forget the dunce and we'll start on my signal." Naruto's anger sky-rockets immediately and his hand flies to his kunai pouch. He yanks one out and charges at Kakashi. He doesn't get very far, however, for in the blink of an eye Kakashi has him held, the hand with the kunai placed so the blade is pointed at the back of Naruto's head. "Not so fast. I didn't say 'go'." Both Sakura and Sasuke are impressed, and I whistle.

"Damn."

"But at least you struck to kill. So, it seems you've begun to respect me. Heh-heh-heh…maybe…just maybe…I'm starting to like you four…And now…ready…steady…GO!" My teammates shoot off in separate directions, and Kakashi begins to, but I say,

"Hold up, Sensei." He waits. "What would happen if I take both bells?" I ask, completely serious.

"What makes you think you can?"

"Hypothetically," I say. "If I manage to get them, what would happen if I took both instead of just one?"

"Do you really hate your teammates that much?" he asks.

"It's not my dislike that makes me ask," I say. "It's my evaluation of their shinobi capabilities. My father was a complete and total BASTARD, but if there's one thing he taught me well, it's the qualities a good shinobi should have. None of my teammates have all the requirements."

"Well, why don't you let me make the decision who to keep? There may be more to them than you think, Tami-chan. You should give them a chance." I sigh, but answer obediently,

"Yes, Sensei." I smile slightly. "You're a pretty interesting teacher, Sensei, from what I can tell." I hold my hand out to him. "I'm glad Iruka-Sensei put me in your cell. You're…complex." He extends his hand and takes mine, shaking it. I get another wave of information, and a stronger dose of his mental signature. He lets go and says,

"Now shoo; get ready." He shakes the bells at me tauntingly. "You do intend to get one of these, don't you?" I smirk and make a half-hearted grab for them. He pulls them out of my reach and I shrug.

"Oh damn. I tried." He rolls his eye and I turn around. I make a handseal at my side, turning back to him. "Oh, and _listen_ up, Sensei. Just because I'm giving them a chance doesn't mean I'm not coming after both. You know…just as a challenge." I then turn and shoot off.

I bounce from branch to branch, searching for my teammates. They've hidden themselves pretty well, but their minds allow me to zero in on them. I stop when they're decently within range and mull over the information I'd gotten. Apparently, this exercise is based on…teamwork. Boy, are we royally _fucked_. Leave it to Kakashi to prod our weak spot. But I'll take his advice. As much as they definitely don't deserve it, I'll feed them the information. From there, they'll just have to decide whether or not they trust me enough to make any plans work. I jump down, climbing down carefully – and silently – so I'm standing behind one of my teammates. Oh crap…it's Sakura.

"Sakura," I whisper. She doesn't reply, so I try again. "_Sakura_." She slides out from underneath the bush and looks up at me. From the look on her face, I can tell she's not at all happy with me. "I give you permission to speak."

"What do _you_ want?" she whispers.

"You want information?" I ask coolly. She stares up at me for a moment in shock, then nods. "Fine. We have to work together." Again, she gapes at me, then she snorts.

"Yeah right. Why would I do that?"

"Because you have to. That's the point. We have to work together."

"Oh please!" She stands up, crossing her arms across her chest. "Admit it! You know that you can't get a bell from Kakashi-Sensei by yourself, and you're too embarrassed to talk to the boys about it!" Now it's my turn to gape – at her stupidity.

"Are you completely fucking moronic? I'm trying to save your ass, you pink-haired idiot!" She scoffs, flipping her hair.

"Whatever! You would never do something nice for me." I throw my arms into the air in exasperation.

"FINE! Don't listen to me; see where that gets you!" With that, I shoot off again, heading for my next target. With every second I spend arguing, I'm losing precious time that could be spent making a plan. As much as I hate it, I'm going to have to go to…him. I know before I reach him that it's Sasuke. I land on the branch behind him and he whips around. His eyes narrow guardedly and I take a deep breath. "Look. I hate you, and you hate me, but we can't pass this damn thing unless we work together."

"Speak for yourself," he growls, turning back around.

"Fucking jeez! Are you three the dumbest asses in Konoha or something?" I snap. "You whine at me for NOT telling you things, and when I TRY to _spoon-feed_ you information, you don't listen to me!" He turns back around, glaring at me.

"Even if you do have information, why would you give it to us now? More specifically, why would you give it to ME?"

"Because I'm trying to do the right thing," I say, forcing the words out of my mouth. "I hate the thought of it, but we're on the same team, and we HAVE to work together. It's the essence of the cell. We were put in teams _for a reason_."

"I never wanted to be in a group, thank you very much. I work better by myself," he mutters, looking back over the practice field, where I can hear Naruto and Kakashi's voices.

"You might think so, but that's probably because you've never given teamwork a shot," I retort. He doesn't answer me, so I sigh. Defeat settling in, I say, "Fine." I drop from the tree branch and walk down the side of the trunk, my chakra concentrated in my feet. I don't know why, but for some reason I'd really been banking on Sasuke to agree. If he'd agreed, Sakura would, and Naruto probably would listen to reason…probably. But of course Sasuke won't agree. He's too much of an ass.

I walk to the edge of the woods and lean against a tree, watching Naruto try to take on a Jonin single-handedly. Moron. Got to give him points for having guts, though. Kakashi knocks Naruto into the water, then goes back to the book he's holding. After a few moments of silence, two shuriken fly from the water, spinning towards Kakashi-Sensei. In a quick motion of his hand, Kakashi has both shuriken on his fingers, and he doesn't even stop reading. This must be insulting to Kakashi-Sensei. Naruto's the only one putting up a fight, and it's not even that much of one. My teammates are greatly underestimating his abilities. He's a JONIN; of course he can't be beaten by a single genin head-on, especially one like Naruto. Naruto finally climbs out of the water, looking disgruntled and completely spent. Poor boy. He's trying so hard. Kakashi says something to him, to which he replies,

"Duh! I know that!" Kakashi says something else. "Crap, crap, crap! I can fight no matter how hungry I am!" I shake my head. Quite to the contrary, if he keeps up his relentless and useless attacks, he'll probably collapse within the hour. "I just wasn't ready, that's all!" Kakashi says something in reply, turning away from him and walking in the opposite direction, his nose still in his book. Naruto simply sits there for a minute, then from the water behind him, seven more Narutos leap into the air, jumping to shore. Wow, that's impressive. And from what I can tell, each of those eight Narutos is a solid clone, not just hazy illusion. Very impressive. It must be the technique he learned from the scroll he stole a few days ago. The clones charge at Kakashi, who continues to stand there, completely impassive. Another figure darts from the woods behind Kakashi and I feel my jaw drop in happy astonishment. It's Naruto, and he's going to get the jump on Kakashi! Naruto jumps on him, holding him still. "Heh-heh-heh…Nice to see your back…Sensei!"

"Good, Naruto! That's using your brain for once! Now grab the bells!" I mutter, mostly to myself. However, he doesn't seem to have any interest in the bells. One of his clones runs toward them and raises his fist, ready to sink it into Kakashi's face. "No, idiot, grab the damn bells!" I growl, frustrated. The clone brings his fist down…on Naruto's face. Kakashi's gone, and the real Naruto is now holding another clone. "DAMN IT!" I swear, quite loudly. He completely ignored a golden opportunity to get the bells. I walk into the field, where Naruto is now quarreling with his clones over which one Kakashi is. He's honestly so thick that he hasn't realized that it was a substitution. "HEY!" They stop fighting immediately and turn to me. "Why don't you just reverse the damn jutsu? Wouldn't that reveal Kakashi if he HAD taken your form?"

"Oh!" He puts his hands together and drops the jutsu, and the only person that remains is himself. "Wh-what-?"

"Substitution jutsu," I snap curtly. "Maybe it's time you quit kidding yourself. You can't take him by yourself. None of us can. He's a Jonin for a reason, Naruto. And this test – it's about working together. We have to actually use our strength in numbers if we want to even stand a chance of passing."

"How do you know that?" he asks.

"I just know, okay?" I say. "So are you with me, or not?"

"Yeah," he says, nodding. "So what's the plan?"

"I don't have one yet," I reply. "I've told the other two we have to work together and they didn't listen. It's just us, but we might be able to figure something out. But we have to hurry; we're running out of time." He nods, but something catches his eye.

"A bell! Hee-hee-hee-hee! He must have been pretty flustered…to drop one…" He goes for it, and I realize what it is.

"Naruto, don't-!" But he springs the trap. A rope wraps around his ankle and hoists him into the tree, holding him upside down. "Damn it, Naruto!" Kakashi appears and snatches the bell off the ground.

"You used your technique well, but so did I…and you were the one who got used. And to be caught in such an obvious trap…was stupid!"

"I'll say!" I snap, glaring up at the blonde.

"Oh, there you are. I haven't seen you for about half an hour."

"For good reason," I reply.

"Tami, help me down!" Naruto says.

"No! You got yourself up there, get yourself down. You're perfectly capable. I'm NOT going to baby you, Naruto," I answer.

"Shinobi read the hidden meanings within hidden meanings!" Kakashi says cheerfully.

"I KNOW!" Naruto says, fuming.

"Uh, no, you don't. That's why I'm saying it." I hear the rustle of leaves and turn. A barrage of knives and shuriken come whizzing through the air, heading straight for us. "Naruto, you-" Kakashi-Sensei's sentence is cut off as the weapons hit him dead-on. Naruto and I gape as blood spurts from the wounds.

"Whoa! Whoa! No way! Sasuke, that was overkill!" Naruto screams, but I can feel the reality. It's just another substitution. I gasp.

"SASUKE, RUN!" I yell in his direction. "It's a substitution!" "Kakashi" vanishes with a poof and I see that it was really a log that Sasuke hit. That's a relief. The log falls to the ground and I feel Sasuke's mind get farther from us. Once Naruto calms down, he says,

"How did you know?"

"My powers. If it had been the real Kakashi, I would have felt his pain," I reply. I sigh. "You've GOT to stop thinking you're a mastermind, Naruto. Getting caught in this trap was really idiotic of you."

"I KNOW!" he shouts, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Well hurry up and get down."

"How?" I slap my forehead in exasperation. No one in the world is THIS dense…

"Cut the damn rope, Naruto."

"Oh." He pulls out a kunai knife and cuts through the binding, dropping to the ground. However, Kakashi ingeniously placed a second trap under his first and in two seconds Naruto is once again dangling my his ankle, upside-down. "Not again! CRAP! He set a second trap right under the first one!" I groan, hitting myself in the forehead again.

"Screw it. Naruto, you stay here and…keep watch. I'm going to go make sure the other two jackasses are still in one piece." With that I shoot off. Again, the first person I find is Sakura. "Hey, are you-?" I then spot Kakashi-Sensei standing not too far away. His hands are together in the seal of the rat, which prods my anxiety. Then, my eyelids start to feel heavy. The leaves at our feet start to swirl, then completely encase us as if caught in a sudden cyclone, and Kakashi disappears.

"What? What was that? Where did our sensei go?" Sakura asks, looking around frantically.

"Oh would you calm your ass down?" I ask. She spins and looks at me.

"YOU! What do you want now? I'm busy."

"I can see that," I retort sarcastically. "I was coming to make sure you're alright."

"Pft, like you care. Now would you leave? I'm trying to find-"

"Sakura…" Her mood lifts and she smiles.

"Sasuke!" She turns back around and we both see Sas – holy shit. He's drenched in blood, kunai knives and shuriken protruding from his back, neck, arms (well, what's left; his left arm is missing from the elbow down), and legs. Blood oozes from his mouth, and from what I can see his leg is severely broken. Fear and adrenaline flood Sakura's body and she starts trembling all over. Her eyes water, one tear escaping the corner of her eye. "YEEAAAAAAAH!" She faints, landing flat on her back, and I bust up laughing. Oh my God, that was one of the _funniest_ things I have ever seen and felt. The genjutsu disappears, leaving no trace of "Sasuke". I continue to snicker. I'll have to remember that image for any future torments I wish to instill upon the stupid pink-haired girl. Jeez, how dumb can a person get before they hold you back in that academy? Don't they have RULES against fraternization?

"Oh well, time to find Sasuke." I take off again, searching for his mental signature. I feel his and Kakashi's, pretty far off, so I pick up my speed a bit. If Sasuke's improved at all over the past two years, hopefully he'll be able to put up more of a fight than the other two. After a minute more, Kakashi's mental signature disappears, but Sasuke's remains where it is. I wonder what happened. I finally reach the location of his mental signature, but when for some reason I don't see him. "Sasuke?"

"Look down, idiot." I drop my gaze and…

"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" I crack up laughing again; Sasuke's buried up to his neck and definitely doesn't look happy about it. "M-man, Sasuke, I knew you were dumb, but it's the ostrich that buries itself, not the cockatoo. And it's the head that goes in, not the rest of the body."

"SHUT UP! Kakashi-Sensei used a technique to pull me under." I then notice the smell of something burnt and look around. The grass is scorched in a long strip across the field. I whistle.

"So you finally learned it, huh?"

"Learned what?" he asks.

"The fireball jutsu. It's your family's trademark, isn't it?" He's taken aback by my knowledge.

"Y-yeah, how did you know that?" I roll my eyes and walk over to him.

"My father practically worshipped the ground yours stood on. I know a lot more than you think I do." I sit down in front of him. "So how well did you do?"

"Do what?" he asks. I roll my eyes again, which irritates him.

"Against Kakashi. I sensed him here. Obviously you lost, but how'd you do?"

"I got close enough to touch a bell," he replies, and I feel him struggle to pull himself free.

"Not bad. I expected as much, really. Oh Sasuke, you should have seen Sakura…" I snicker again.

"So that _was_ her screaming?" he asks.

"Yeah. Who'd you think it was, Naruto?" I ask sarcastically. I put my hand on the ground at Sasuke's chest and shut my eyes. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up some idea as to how this jutsu works so I can get him out. Unfortunately, any earth that Kakashi touched is now under the surface. Damn it. "Sasuke, can you get an arm free?"

"I'm trying," he growls. I pull out one of my kunai and stick it in the ground, then circulate my chakra through it, breaking up and softening the earth surrounding his body.

"That a little easier?" I ask.

"Yeah, much easier. How did you do that?"

"A little trick I picked up from my aunt. She gardens. Might teach it to you sometime." I wipe the dirt off of my knife and slip it back in its pouch. "I'll leave it to you to get yourself out. Better hurry, it's almost noon." With that, I take off. I figure I'll just go back to the pillars and wait there for the end of the exercise. If the jutsus I have on Kakashi-Sensei work, I won't need my teammates to get those bells, but as teamwork is the fundamental value we _should have_ learned in this test, it won't particularly matter if I get them or not.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer tiiiime! I don't own any part of the Naruto franchise! Not even a lunchbox...Haha. Well, that's a lie. I own some manga. I wish I owned the anime series on DVD or something, but I'm too cheap. Anywho, thanks for reading! Enjoy chapter 3!_

**Chapter 3**

When I reach the stumps, I find Naruto there, tied to one, with Kakashi-Sensei standing in front of him. I tilt my head to the side.

"Come now, Sensei, there's no way in hell Sakura got a bell."

"Oh no, no one has. I found Naruto here intending to eat everyone's lunch," he replies.

"Ah. Shame shame, Naruto," I say, sitting down next to him.

"Aren't you going to try and get a bell? I expected more from you," he says. "After all, you did tell me you were going to come after both." The timer goes off, almost on cue, and I say,

"If you'll allow me, Sensei, I'd like to prove a point to my teammates, when they get here."

"…Alright." Sasuke and Sakura reach us about a minute later and sit down. I hear their stomachs growl again and Kakashi says, "Oh, my. Listen to all the little stomachs growl! By the way, you three…I have an announcement…about this exercise. None of you…need worry any more about being sent back to the academy."

"Yeeah!" Naruto cries. One by one feelings of victory and joy take hold of them, but Kakashi's only feeling is one of disgust. I roll my eyes and wait for him to break the REAL news. "THIS ROCKS! It means all of us…!"

"…..Are hopeless. More schooling would be pointless. None of you will ever be shinobi!" Their good moods are dashed immediately, but I snort.

"You three honestly thought he was going to pass us?" I ask, looking at them.

"Give it up. Not one of the three of you…will ever be ninja!"

"Wait…three?" Sakura asks.

"Sensei, in your anger, have you forgotten how to count?" I ask.

"No Tami."

"What do you mean – GIVE UP? Give me a break! Okay, so maybe none of us got our hands on one of your stupid bells…but why the heck should we give up over that?"

"Because not one of you has what it takes!" Kakashi barks. Our sensei's quick shift in attitude is almost scary. I feel a quick surge of anger and see Sasuke take a running start at Kakashi.

"You ass-!" I start, but Kakashi quickly pins him down, his foot on the back of Sasuke's head.

"What you are is a trio of spoiled brats," Kakashi says coldly.

"There he goes with that 'three' thing again," I mutter.

"Don't step on Sasuke! Get off of him!" Sakura shrieks.

"Oh jeez, do you EVER think before you speak?" I snap.

"Are you trying to make fun of the shinobi with your behavior? Well, are you? Did you ever stop to wonder for a minute…why you were divided into teams?" I sigh and flop onto my back. I know how the rest of this will go. Hey, I tried, damn it.

"Uh…excuse me?"

"Obviously not. So you missed the entire point of the exercise."

"It had a point-?" Naruto asks, drawing a blank.

"Of course. And that point determines whether or not you would succeed." He's feeling quite disappointed, and mutters, "I can't believe this…"

"I know, I can't believe it either," I mutter. "I've already TOLD them the point."

"You knew?" he asks.

"Yeah. I know the abilities of my family aren't as well known as the Uchihas, or the Hyuugas, or anyone else's, but come on." I wiggle my hand in the air. "I DO have the gift of 'sight'."

"I see," he says. "That makes you three even MORE pathetic."

"Aw, come on, already! Tell us!" Naruto shouts.

"It's…TEAMWORK," Kakashi and I say in unison. I stand up and stare at them.

"I fucking told you so! So don't bitch at me when I don't tell you guys stuff, because obviously it won't make any difference." I turn to Kakashi. "Can I prove my point now, by the way?"

"Sure," he answers. I take a deep breath and make a few very quick handseals. I look straight into Kakashi's revealed eye.

"See, _off_."

"Wh-what the-?" he says, his hand flying to his eye.

"Listen, _off_." His hands then fly to his ears. I take a running start and when I'm close enough I do a front hand spring, rotating in midair to grab the bells from his waist before flying neatly over his right shoulder. I land lightly on my feet behind him and put my hands together in the seal of the ram. "Release." I feel the jutsu drop and walk back around him, swinging the bells by their string and whistling nonchalantly. "For the record, Sakura – " I give her a nasty look as I toss the bells back to Kakashi. "I didn't need anybody's help getting those fucking bells."

"H-how did you do that?" she asks.

"I can turn off a person's five primary sensors – smell, sight, hearing, touch, and taste – using a special jutsu my family invented. I just need to set the jutsu with a code word. The code word has to be something related to the sense – see, watch, listen, feel, things like that." She's thoroughly impressed, as is Kakashi.

"You already knew your teammates wouldn't pass, Tami. Why didn't you just take the bells earlier?"

"I found out afterwards what the point of the mission was, when I shook your hand, and I thought that I could, maybe, get my thick-headed teammates to listen to reason. Yeah, not so much."

"I see. By the way, Tami…You pass." I feel my jaw drop.

"E-excuse me?"

"You pass. You had the information, and even though you knew you could get the bells from me, you spent the entire time trying to help your teammates pass, even though they completely ignored you."

"Oh, trust me, I'm used to being ignored," I reply. I take a running start and use my momentum to propel myself from the stump Naruto's on to the top of the one at his side, sitting down neatly.

If we were expected to function as a team, why did you only have two bells?" Sakura cries. "Even if we'd worked together, two of us still would have had to go without lunch. You're preaching teamwork, but you played us against each other!"

"DUH!" I snap, glaring at her.

"This task was designed to cause dissension within your ranks."

"What-?" Naruto and Sakura shout.

"The situation was set up to reveal which of you would set aside your individual interests and propose to the others that you work together for the good of all."

"It doesn't really make it fair to pass me alone, you know," I say, and all four of them stare at me.

"Do you not WANT to pass?" Kakashi asks.

"Oh, I want to pass, and I'm sure I could find better teammates, but because I knew the point of the assignment, I was working out of self-interest as well as a concern for my teammates. I _knew_ we wouldn't pass if we didn't work together."

"But the fact of the matter is you tried, as much as you thought it wouldn't work," he says. I shrug. "Making a play as an individual is bad for the team and exposes your comrades to unnecessary danger. You might as well kill them yourself….Here's an example…" He pulls out a kunai knife and sticks it to Sasuke's throat. "Sakura! Kill Naruto, or Sasuke dies!" Both my teammates start to panic; Naruto especially, fearing that Sakura will do so without hesitation. "The day could come…when one of you is taken hostage and you're forced to make such a choice. When you are on a mission, your lives will always be on the line." He gets off of Sasuke again and walks to the carved stone nearby. I know this place. My grandfather had taken me here once, for he'd lost a son – my father's second brother – during a battle.

"Look at the marker…all the names carved in stone. Heroes of our village…ninja."

"That's it! I just made up my mind!" Naruto shouts. "There's where I want my name to go! I'm not gonna throw my life away! I want to be like them – a hero!" I sigh, but smile slightly as I hop down. I cross over to the stone and stare down at it morosely.

"Do you know what this is?" he asks. I nod, kneeling and pointing at my uncle's name – Sohma Eiji. "Your father?"

"Uncle," I reply, standing.

"The ones listed here aren't just any heroes," Kakashi says.

"Really? What kind of heroes are they?" he asks, excited. Kakashi remains silent for a moment. "Come on! Come on!"

"The dead kind. They died in the line of duty." I watch as Naruto's face slowly sinks, feeling a sympathetic sorrow for the lost shinobi.

"You lost someone, Tami?" he asks.

"An uncle. He was dead before I was born, so I never knew him, but my grandfather always said he was 'a good kid'. Guess he had to have one…" My hand slowly touches one of my scars subconsciously. That night, two years ago…had left a few marks. Most of my physical wounds healed fine, but a few of the more severe ones had left tiny white scars across my sides. I feel someone's curiosity level rise, so I quickly drop my hand.

"This is a memorial. It includes the names of my best friends." A silence ensues as we each mull over death and those we've lost. "…Pay attention! I'm giving you all one last chance. One that will be far more difficult than our last little game with the bells. If you're prepared to continue, you may eat one of the bento boxes. But no sharing with Naruto. He goes hungry."

"Why?" he asks.

"He brought it on himself when he tried to sneak lunch for himself. If any of you feed him, you fail the test right there. My word is law. Do you understand?"

"Yeeees, Sensei," I say exaggeratedly. He rolls his eye, then takes off.

"Hey, this'll be a breeze! I can go without lunch…no problem." But a loud growl from his stomach tells us otherwise. Sasuke, Sakura, and I grab our lunches and sit down. I sit down right in front of Naruto and open the box. I eat slowly, mostly concentrated on trying to find Kakashi's mental signature. I reach into my kunai pouch and pull out a spoon.

"Why do you have a spoon in your kunai pouch?" Sakura asks.

"I tried to hypnotize myself with it the other day. Didn't work, which is probably for the best," I reply. I cut a shrimp into four small pieces and put one on the spoon, then pull it back and launch it into the air. I tilt my head back and catch it in my mouth.

"Ugh! Can't you just eat like a normal person?" she snaps. I smirk and put another piece on my spoon, then pull it back and launch it at her. It hits her in the forehead and I snicker.

"I'd give myself points, but it's such a BIG target." She scowls at me, but remains silent and focuses on her lunch. I put another piece on my spoon and say, "Hey Uchiha, catch." I fling it at him, but he swats it away and goes back to eating. I pout. "God, you're such an ass. How about you, Naruto? Can you catch?" I pick up the fourth piece and set it on the spoon. I feel their eyes dart to me, stunned.

"B-but…" Naruto starts.

"Come on, I'll go easy on you. I'm a good shot, I promise," I say, putting on a wide smile.

"But Tami-!" he tries again.

"Open. Your fucking. Mouth," I say slowly through gritted teeth. His stomach growls again. "Now." He does so and I aim, then fire. It hits his tongue perfectly and he pulls the shrimp into his mouth. "Woo! Two points!"

"What are you doing?" Sakura hisses, looking around nervously.

"Feeding the team pet," I reply sarcastically. "Now come on, who else wants to play?" I pick up a piece of zucchini and toss it into the air, catching it in my mouth. "Ta da! Come on, Uchiha. I dare you." He scowls, but plays along. He tosses a piece of broccoli into the air and catches it in his mouth. "Good boy," I tease. I pick up another shrimp and put it on the spoon whole.

"Open wide, Naruto. Whole piece this time. Let's see if I can make it." He opens his mouth and I shoot. Bulls-eye. "Hell yeah!" Sakura tosses a piece of onigiri into the air and makes it. "Score! Now come on, let's try making shots on other people. Feeding yourself is easy." They understand what I'm doing and slowly smile. I put mushroom on the spoon and fling it at Sakura, who opens her mouth, but it gets stuck on her cheek. I snicker. "Lame. Naruto, your turn." I put a piece of zucchini on the spoon and shoot it. He bends forward a bit and catches it with the tip of his teeth. "Nice! Good catch. I'd high-five you, but it looks like you're a little…tied up." He laughs at my poor humor and chews the vegetable.

"Catch, Sasuke," Sakura says, tossing a piece of onigiri at him. He quickly sits forward and just barely manages to catch it on his tongue.

"Work on your aim," he says. "Naruto, catch." He tosses a piece of broccoli at him and Naruto catches it, but pouts.

"I hate broccoli."

"But green veggies are the best!" I say. "You'll hurt the broccoli's feelings!" Naruto snickers and eats it. An enormous gust of wind erupts behind us, as if an explosion happened, and Naruto yells,

"What the heck?" Kakashi shoots out of it.

"YOU…" My teammates' hearts leap to their throats, and I can imagine the word running through their minds – BUSTED. Naruto and Sakura scream, but Kakashi suddenly stops. "Pass!" He smiles at us and I bust up laughing.

"Oh, Sensei, you scared them so bad!" I fall onto my back, laughing so hard my eyes water.

"You knew he was here?" Sakura demands.

"Uh, duh," I say, tapping my temple. "Built-in locator."

"How did I know you'd be the first to break my rule?" Kakashi asks in good-humor.

"Aw, come on, Sensei, you say it like it's a BAD thing," I say, grinning. He sighs.

"You're too cocky for your own good." I shrug and stand.

"We pass?" Sakura cries. "But…why?"

"You three have just taken a giant step forward," Kakashi says appraisingly.

"Umm…how?" Sakura asks.

"Up until now, all you three have done is listen unquestioningly to everything I say…Like mindless, little drones. A true shinobi seeks the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings. In a ninja's world, those who violate the rules and fail to follow orders…are lower than garbage. However…those who do not care for and support their comrades…are even lower than that!"

"Oh!" Sakura says cheerfully, causing me to roll my eyes again.

"This exercise is now concluded! You all pass! That's all for today, team seven. Your duties will commence tomorrow!"

"Sweet," I say, standing.

"I…I DID IT! I did it! I'm a ninja! Ninja! Ninja! NINJA!" I smile at him over my shoulder, feeling a little touched by his euphoria. He _did_ work rather hard today.

"Let's go home," Kakashi says, and we grab our stuff.

"Uh…hey, guys? I'm still tied up here…GUYS?" Naruto screams. I look at the other three and they return with blank stares.

"Oh come on," I say, slumping my shoulders.

"You COULD leave him there," Kakashi says. I roll my eyes and pull out a knife. I spin around and throw it hard. It cuts the top three coils and I say,

"Now wiggle like hell until you fall out." I then turn around and we keep walking. Kakashi pats me on the head, and I wave his hand off. "Don't get me wrong. I'm going to go home and beat the shit out of my brothers, since I got NO action today." He just chuckles.


	4. Chapter 4

_"It's a bird!" (Me: Cockatoo...?) "It's a plane!" (Me: Like a G-6, like a G-6...) No, it's-! A disclaimer. F-ing lame. Haha, I don't own any part of the Naruto series, except for the things I obviously created. Don't take my ideas! Thanks so much for reading!_

Chapter 4

_-The Next Day…-_

I wake bright and early the next morning and go through my usual morning routine; shower, dress, brush my teeth, eat, so on. Once I'm finished, I head for the training area. It's another quiet morning in Konoha, though today I woke up late enough to see the city start coming to life. The owner of the bookstore steps outside and grabs a small stack of letters from his mailbox before shuffling drowsily back inside. A cat scurries across the road as I pass, his eyes narrowed and intent. I feel the buzz of dozens of minds, slowly getting started for the day ahead.

Once I reach the training area, I find that no one is here yet, so I set my things down and jump into a tree. I sit on a branch, swing backwards, and hang upside down. I like doing sit ups upside down, because hanging that way helps me think and gets my blood flowing. I start pulling myself up, counting each one silently. I get only to fifty-four before I hear Naruto call,

"Hey Tami-chan! Come down from there!" I groan.

"Fuck." I unhook my legs and fall, rotating my body in a cat-like manner so I land on my feet ten yards from him. I stand upright and say, "Alright, down now." Sakura's looking at me with distaste. "WHAT?"

"Why do you swear so much? It's so crude." I make a face and mimic her,

"_It's so crude_. Please. Does it really matter whether or not I swear? I certainly don't think so."

"You must've had a really bad upbringing." Sasuke's eyes dart to me, but I refuse to meet his gaze. Instead, I smirk.

"You could say that. But you know, swearing's not that bad. Gets rid of a lot of stress and people start to leave you alone if you swear enough."

"I mean, I swear sometimes," Naruto says.

"Yes, well, we all know YOU had a bad upbringing, Naruto," Sakura says indifferently. Naruto looks a bit hurt by her severity and I get pissed.

"Oh, and you're so much BETTER? What's a little swearing in comparison to being a frigid _bitch_?"

"I'm not a frigid bitch!" she says, then gasps and covers her mouth while I grin.

"Hey, look who said a bad word!" I taunt and Naruto chuckles.

"I was just-!" she starts, blushing. I smirk.

"Now all we need is to get the Uchiha to swear." Sakura gasps.

"Sasuke-kun would NEVER!" I grin and walk over to him.

"We'll see about that." I sit in front of him, as he's sitting on a rock with his hands together, his elbows propped up on his knees. "How about it, Sasuke? Why don't you say 'fuck' for us?"

"Sasuke-kun, don't do it!" Sakura cries. He gives me his usual cold, dull stare and I smile.

"Come on, please? It's really easy. Watch. F-f-f-f, uh-uh-uh-uh, f-uh, f-uh, FUH, ck-ck-ck-ck…" He's staring at me still, his face set as if frozen in stone. I move closer, resting my elbows on his knees like he's doing. "Come on, put it together. F-UH-CK. FUH-CK. _FUCK_."

"See? Sasuke-kun's too smart to say cuss words," Sakura says defiantly.

"Nah, I know he wants to," I reply. Sasuke and I are staring into each other's eyes and I feel my cheeks reddening. I can see why Sakura and Ino like his looks – he's damn sexy. But I still can't bring myself to forgive him for blaming me for Itachi killing his parents. I've told him that Itachi had already planned it out and that I'd only seen it in his mind and there was nothing I could do, but he didn't believe me. He's also yet to apologize, so I refuse to like him. Stubborn, huh? Yeah, we don't even talk about it. In fact, we barely talk at all. I let my hand stray to his elbow and touch his bare skin. I feel slight timidity and wonder why he feels this way. "Come on, come on!" He sighs and closes his eyes.

"_Fuck_." I stand up and throw my hands in the air.

"Yes! Hell yes!" I turn to Naruto and high-five him. He's laughing and holding his sides. I look at the dumbstruck Sakura and grin. I stick my tongue out at her then say, "Guess your little Sasuke-kun isn't so innocent after all." She runs over to him and throws her arms around his neck. He feels a sharp stab of irritation and it makes me snicker.

"Oh Sasuke-kun! I'm sorry!" She whips around and glares at me. "Now look what you've done! You're such a horrible person!" My smile turns into a broad grin.

"Hiyas Kakashi-Sensei." She whips around and sure enough Kakashi-Sensei is standing behind her.

"Um…Sakura-chan, mind explaining why Tami is a horrible person?" She's so shocked by his appearance that she doesn't answer, so I say,

"She's mad because I had Sasuke swear." I smirk challengingly. "Going to punish me?"

"That depends. What word was it?"

"The f word," I reply, grinning.

"Then yes, go run two laps."

"Hai, Sensei!" I take off. I like it when Kakashi punishes me with things that test my physical abilities. It gives me an opportunity to work out early. I'm halfway done with my first lap when I hear Naruto call out,

"Tami-chan, wait up!" I stop and turn around. Sure enough, I see the other three coming up from behind me.

"What're you guys running for?" I ask when they catch up.

"Kakashi-Sensei's making us all run laps, because we swore, too," Sakura explains with a dark look.

"Ha! How'd he find out? I mean, I know he knew about Sasuke, but-" Sakura points at Naruto.

"He told him." He smiles sheepishly and I say,

"But Naruto, you didn't even swear!"

"Yeah, well, if you guys were running, I figured I should go, too. Besides, I've sworn plenty of other times and I've never been punished." I smile.

"That's pretty thoughtful of you, Naruto." He blushes, feeling bashful and flattered. I see quick movement to my left and turn – Sasuke had started running again. "Hey! Wait up, Uchiha!" I take off after him and hear Naruto say,

"Wait up, Tami-chan!" and a second later,

"Naruto, don't leave me behind!" Sasuke's sprinting, but after a minute or so I catch up to him.

"Hey, what was with that?" I ask.

"Hn. With what?" he retorts curtly.

"Why'd you run off?"

"Maybe I was tired of watching you flirt with Naruto." This doesn't satisfy me, so I go probing about for emotions. I feel a new one and grin.

"Holy _shit_." I laugh and he turns his gaze to me.

"What?" I laugh again and say,

"You're _jealous_!" He blushes slightly.

"I am not."

"Yes you are! I can feel it!"

"I am not! Why would I be jealous of HIM, of all people?" I smirk.

"You tell me." I stop, as does he, and I put my left hand on his neck. I see into his thoughts and hear some of the things he's been thinking.

'_Naruto…what's so great about him, anyway? She takes such an automatic liking to him, and he's just a dunce! I don't even think he works hard! Why would she like him when she could like somebody – __anybody__ else? What does he do that makes her like him?'_ A sharp pain around my elbow makes me stop. I gasp in pain and try to pull my arm away but he's got my wrist in a steel grip. However, his grip isn't as frightening as his eyes. He's pissed.

"How much did you hear?"

"N-not much. Let go!" He starts twisting it.

"Tell me the truth!"

"I AM! I didn't see much!" He twists it harder and I hear something pop. I utter a cry of pain and drive my knuckles against his sternum. He lets go of my wrist and backs up as pain shoots through his chest. I pull my arm to my chest and hold it there, fighting tears. "The fuck was that for?" He's rubbing his sore chest and looks at me.

"Stay the hell away from me," he mutters and runs off. I don't know why for sure, but this hurts me even worse than my arm does. I hear the others coming and turn around. They look far more tired than Sasuke and I. Naruto looks around and says,

"Where's Sasuke?" I look away from him, trying to hide the pain I know is on my face.

"He went on ahead." He eyes my position.

"What's wrong with your arm?" I let go of it and say,

"Nothing. Let's go." We keep running. It hurts to move my arm, but I do so anyway to cover up everything. We finish after Sasuke and when we show up Kakashi eyes us.

"Did something happen?"

"No," we reply at once, looking away from each other. My arm is beginning to ache sorely, but I keep it to myself.

"Well, today we're going to spar, so Sakura and…let's say Naruto go first, then Sasuke and Tami." We nod and Sasuke and I sit on the sidelines while the other two get ready. I can feel eyes on me but I don't look around to see who it is. Instead I probe the auras around me for emotions. One in particular hits me hard – deep, burning guilt. The hell? Who's feeling guilty? Damn it, I want my level of telepathy to increase!

Naruto and Sakura fight for only thirty minutes. Of course, Sakura forfeits. She always does if she gets even slightly tired or bored. I also think she doesn't want to be defeated in front of Sasuke. At the end of the half-hour, we switch spots and Sasuke stands a few meters away. His eyes scan my body, but I don't look at him. Damn, my arm hurts!

"Go," Kakashi says and we run at each other. Sasuke swings his leg up to kick me in the side and I block, grabbing his ankle, then his belt loop, and throwing him over me. He flips over and lands in a crouch. I take a running start and he gets up quickly. I start throwing punches every which-way, trying to hit pressure points. I get one in his neck, one in his shoulder, and one on his chest. He hits me hard in the side and I shoot back a bit. I drive my knee into his solar plexus and he stumbles back, winded. I give him a few seconds to catch his breath, then I attack him again. However, once I come within reach he punches me in the chest, then kicks me in the stomach. I feel the ground leave as I go flying back, and I hit the ground hard. I sit up and glare at him icily.

"Gloves are off, Uchiha." I get back up and we run at each other. My fist collides with his jaw and his with my left rib. Does this stop us? Hell no. We're throwing punches at each other so fast we mainly rely on instinct for defense, and even with our quick reflexes a lot of our attacks get solid contact. I punch him at the apex of his rib cage, which I know hurts, kick him in the shin, then jump up, spin around to add momentum, and my foot makes solid contact with his jaw. He goes flying into a tree and blood sprays from his mouth.

"Shit," I mutter as I look at him. He and I are a dangerous pair to put in a fight against each other. Both of us are full of hateful emotions, some aimed at each other, so I guess we tend to fight as if our lives depend on it, which ironically enough seems to be demanded when we get like this. Funny, huh?

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screams.

"Sasuke, you okay?" Naruto asks.

"Get up," I say. He looks at me out of one eye, panting. "Get up or quit."

"No sympathy, as usual," he says quietly, forcing himself to get up.

"Did you expect anything else?" I ask.

"No. I know what to expect from you." He walks closer, spitting out more blood and wiping his mouth. "Good kick."

"Thanks. You were just positioned so perfectly." He sighs. "Well, come on, Uchiha." He nods and runs at me again. Our fists and arms collide again and again, so I decide to read his mind again, while he's not expecting it. Our skin is in almost constant contact, so I get everything.

'_She hits hard for a girl. Sakura is pretty pathetic in comparison. So she's not only attractive, she's also extremely strong…Too bad I keep pissing her off. Eh, she's too interested in the idiot…or my brother…I…I wonder if…'_

If what? I reach forward and attempt to punch him in the chest with my bad arm, which is still aching, but he dodges and grabs my wrist gently. He twists it slightly and pain bursts through my arm. I scream and pull myself loose. I clutch my arm to my chest again and glare at him. He's standing completely rigid, looking terrified, his eyes flickering between my arm and my eyes.

"FUCKER!" I scream and scissor-kick him in the chin. He's knocked into the air and I jump up, using my chakra so I can kick him into the ground. However, I see the blood pouring from his mouth and the guilty expression on his face. I realize he may feel bad for hurting me, and that he may have just been wondering how badly he hurt me earlier. I just let myself drop and Sasuke hits the ground.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shrieks again. I stare at him for a second.

"Tami-chan, why'd you stop?" Kakashi asks. I don't answer but turn on my heel and run towards home.

"Tami-chan!" Naruto calls after me. I don't stop; I just keep running. I get home and walk to my room. Once I'm lying on my bed I stare at my ceiling, as I usually do when I think. What's going on with Sasuke? One minute we're staring at each other unflinchingly, but feeling a little jittery, then he's jealous, then he tells me to stay away, then we beat the hell out of each other, then he feels GUILTY! Does he care or NOT? I groan and run a hand through my hair. My arm is throbbing painfully and I'm so exhausted I fall asleep.

I wake at sunset to the sound of someone pounding on my front door. I get up and slowly make my way to the front of the house. I figure it's Naruto or Kakashi checking in on me. The person beats on the door persistently and I yell,

"Yeah, I heard you! Take a damn chill pill!" I reach the door and pull it open. "S…Sasuke?" He's standing there, his hands in his pockets and his eyes shifted determinedly away from me. "Wh-what're you doing here?" Alone, I might add.

"I…Well…I came to apologize. I know I really injured you today, and I also wanted…I mean…I came to…check on you." I stare at him.

"Whoa, YOU came to check on me?" He rolls his eyes.

"If you're going to flip out about it, I'll go."

"NO! That's not what I was getting at! I was just shocked."

"Well, you screamed and called me an f-word; an IDIOT would have realized that hurt like hell." I'm taken even further aback by his thoughtfulness. I step closer, getting further into his aura of emotions. I'm surprisingly not reading anything out of the ordinary, so I get closer. I close my eyes and step forward with my hands in front of me, like a blind person. This helps me detect emotions easier. My hands touch his stomach and he shudders back a bit, but then he relaxes and gently takes my wrists. With this contact I get to hear what he's thinking.

'_What is she doing? What's she touching me for? For that matter, why am I letting her touch me? She's probably listening to me right now…'_

"Hm…well I don't know whether it's a hearing or a sight, Sasuke," I say softly. I take another slow step forward.

'_Why are you reading my mind?'_ I smile.

'_You're not necessarily __saying__ any of this, now are you?"_ He jumps.

'_You can talk back?'_

'_Yes. You just break the connection before I get the chance.'_

'_Oh. I didn't know telepathy included being able to respond.'_

'_Few people do. I'm the only Sohma I know of that actually uses my powers openly. Most of the other members of my family kept their powers quiet and used it only in combat.'_

'_Ah. That probably allows a little more privacy.'_ I roll my eyes under my eyelids.

'_My powers aren't as evil as you think they are, Sasuke.'_

'_Hn. You only say that because no one's using them on you.'_

'_Oh come on, is it SO BAD that I want to know what you guys are thinking? How can I have power and NOT use it?'_

'_If you stopped using it to get thoughts out of me that I don't want you to know then I wouldn't abhor them so much.'_ I sighed but my lips curved into a smile.

'_Can I help it?'_ I slowly take another step forward and Sasuke's hands slide up my arm, giving me chills. _'It's not my fault your emotions are the most vague and perplexing.'_

'_Perplexing?'_ I nod and step even closer. I feel the shirt on his sides under my fingers.

'_You never express how you feel openly, a characteristic I'm accustomed to, and that makes it harder for me to know if it's you I feel things from sometimes. Your face could be blank, but you could be feeling a wild range of emotions. You and Kakashi both confuse me, since I can't even __see__ his face.'_ With another step I'm able to wrap my arms all the way around him and place my hands lightly on his back. He seems a little uneasy with this close contact.

'_Do you usually do this with your eyes closed?'_

'_No, but it certainly helps. Separating between my sight and my "sight" can assist in deciphering the true emotions of someone. If I see something and "see" something else, I get confused. I get headaches that way too, because my brain is trying to process two different signals.'_

'_Oh.'_ He actually seems a little interested in my explanation. My index finger starts making a trail up his spine, feeling the vertebrae and muscle at my fingertips. He shudders slightly at some points but doesn't react in any other way. I feel how firm his skin is, hardened from the rigorous training he endures in his attempt to surpass his brother.

'_T…Tami-?'_ he asks at last.

'_Yeah?'_ I reply almost absently, now letting my fingers return down his spine to the small of his back.

'_What are you doing? Why…are we so close together? '_ I hesitate for a moment, thinking of an answer, then honestly say,

'_I have no idea. Who knows? Maybe I just like the way you smell.'_

'_You like the way I smell?' _he asks and I nod. Something about the way he smells is oddly…tempting. It makes me wonder what his lips taste like…

I blush and wrench away from him sharply, my eyes bursting open. His form is pretty dark in the dim twilight, and my eyes are being sluggish in their dilating. I stare at him for a moment, speechless as I digest what I'd actually just thought. What the hell is WRONG with me? Sasuke's an ASS! Sure, he may have had one lapse in his asshole-ish ways, because he HAD come to check in on me, but that doesn't mean all his prior misdoings are completely forgotten! Focus, Tami, focus! Freaking jeez…

"You'd better get home," I say. "It's getting pretty late." He doesn't reply; he just spins around on his heel and strides off into the darkness. "Goodnight to you too, Ass." I walk back inside, shutting the door behind me. Like I said – he's still an ass.

I wake up at 5 a.m. the next morning and lethargically make my way through my morning routine. Even then, I'm still the first one at the training area. I have a splint on my arm to keep myself from twisting it anymore, at least until the pain ebbs. I decide to meditate this morning, so I sit down on the coarse grass and shut my eyes, my hands resting lightly on my ankles.

However, I don't get to meditate because I keep getting interrupted by my thoughts. They keep going back to that incomprehensible wonder from last night…How good Sasuke's lips taste… Why the hell would I think something like that? Yes, Sasuke is devilishly handsome, probably too attractive for his own good, but no matter HOW attractive that boy is, he's an absolute ass through-and-through. Perhaps it had just been the fact that coming to check on me was such a strange thing for him to do – it simply took me off-guard.

I hear footsteps and open my eyes. Sasuke freezes when he notices my eyes open.

"Hn. Didn't _bother_ you, did I?"

"Of course you did," I reply sarcastically. But really, it was a disturbance I was a bit glad he'd made. I was beginning to get irritated with my thoughts. I stand up and start to walk past him towards my things, which I'd set down by a tree, but he catches me around the waist. "What the-?" His free hand grabs the wrist with the splint on it and holds it up to his eye level, staring at it.

"…Does it still hurt?" he murmurs. Wow, he really won't let this little incident go.

"I'm fine," I reply.

"That doesn't answer my question," he says, his onyx eyes moving to meet my gaze.

"Not so much anymore. I'm just wearing it to prevent any further damage." He seems satisfied by this answer, but continues to stare at it.

"AHEM." We turn to find Sakura standing there and she looks particularly displeased. I don't understand WHY – what in the world could have crawled up her ass this EARLY in the morning? Then I realize that Sasuke's still holding my waist. I feel my cheeks color slightly and lean toward Sasuke, murmuring,

"Sasuke, I'd like my waist back, please." He lets go immediately and takes several steps away from me, retreating behind the cold, unemotional fortress he locks himself in. "We weren't doing anything romantic, Haruno, so calm your ass down."

"Then why did he have his hands all over you?" she demands, her hands on her hips.

"His hands weren't _all over me_. Not even _close_. THIS-" I grab Sasuke's hands and wrap his arms around me, pressing myself to his chest. Sakura nearly has a fit and I have to suppress a laugh. "-Is close to having his hands 'all over me'. And even then, it could be much worse." I eye the expression on his face – he's so taken aback that even his thoughts aren't coherent. I wink and say, "Or better."

"Um-!" We turn again. Naruto's finally shown up, hip-hip-hooray. "Why does Sasuke have his hands around Tami-chan?"

"Hn. She PUT them there," Sasuke replies, pulling his arms away from me.

"I was proving to Sakura that she was wrong about something she said, that's all," I say.

"Oh. So you and Sasuke aren't-?" I roll my eyes.

"I would have thought that yesterday would get rid of THAT idea." Naruto nods, eyeing the splint on my arm. About an hour passes, then Kakashi arrives.

"Ah, Tami, glad to see you're back," he says.

"Aww, you're so sweeeeet, Sensei," I say, laying on the sugary sweetness in my voice. He rolls his eye.

"Good morning, Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura says brightly. I snicker.

"Man, Haruno, next to you, all other greetings seem superfluous. From now on, just say good morning for all of us." She glares at me, her cheeks reddening.

"So, what're we going to do today, Sensei?" Naruto asks, brimming with excitement.

"Well, we have to go into town and the Hokage and other shinobi will give us our first assignment. Shall we?" We nod and we head off.

_-Three Days Later-_

"Got it," I say, reopening my eyes. "The target's…that way." I point north-east from our current location. We all take off, closing in quickly. "We're getting close…" We slow down, softening the sounds of our footfalls and sneaking up behind him. We dart behind trees and slowly peek around them. The target is sitting a mere five meters from us, his back to us.

"How far away is the target?" Kakashi's voice asks through the headsets we're wearing.

"Five meters and closing! So…how much longer are we gonna wait?" Naruto asks.

"Shh!" I hush him.

"I'm in position," Sasuke says.

"So am I," Sakura pipes up. Kakashi waits a moment.

"GO!" We leap from our positions and dive for the target.

"HAI-YAAAAH!" Naruto screams. Wow, so much for stealth. The target whips around, terrified and pissed off. WHAM! Naruto slams into the poor animal, wrapping his arms around its furry body. "GOTCHA!"

"Mee-ooow!" the cat protests. Then the claws come out.

"Remember, our quarry has a ribbon on its right ear that says, 'Tiger'. Make sure there's no mistake," Kakashi reminds us. The cat has proceeded to make mince-meat of Naruto's face.

"Target confirmed," Sasuke answers coolly.

"Hahaha, man, that's one pissed-off cat," I say, laughing.

"Ow, ow, ow, that doesn't tickle!" Naruto screams. "TAMI!"

"_What?"_ I ask.

"Do something!" I roll my eyes, then put my hand on the cat. Using a pressure point in the back of the animal's neck, I manage to calm it down enough for it to stop clawing Naruto.

"Thanks," he says, getting to his feet with the cat under his arm.

"Good! Then 'Mission: Find the missing pet' is accomplished!" Kakashi says. We start heading back to Kakashi-Sensei, and once we reach him, we head back to town for another assignment.

"Why is Naruto the only one clawed up?" Kakashi asks.

"Because he was the one who went for it," I answer. "And I happen to know that cats suck."

"Cats do not suck!" Sakura fusses. "Cats are adorable!"

"You want to hold that monster?" I ask, pointing at the fuming furball still in Naruto's grasp.

"Well, no…but not all cats are that mean!" she says.

"Yes they are. At one point or another, they are. Because cats SUCK," I argue. We reach the mission distribution center and walk inside. As soon as we walk in, a really fat, appalling woman waddles over.

"Oh, Tiger!" We all feel the same swoop of nausea overtake us as she takes the cat from Naruto and cuddles it in a death-grip. The cat hisses and mews frantically, and I feel sorry for it. If I was Tiger, and had to go home to THAT, I'd have run farther away. "Poor Tiger…Good little kitty-kitty…I was so worried about you, I could have died!" _Gee, too bad we made quick work of that mission, huh? I'm really not an advocate for animal cruelty._ We step closer to the Hokage and he picks up a sheet of paper.

"Now, the next assignment for Kakashi's Team Seven will be…Hmm…To babysit for the Council of Elders…To run errands to the neighboring village…To help dig sweet potatoes…"

"I like sweet potatoes," I say, grinning. Lord Hokage chuckles.

"No way! No thank you! Boooring!" Naruto yells, waving the tasks off. "Give us something different to do. Something important! Something amazing!" I roll my eyes.

"Don't be a fool!" Iruka scolds, rising from his seat. "You're only a beginner! Everyone starts out doing the grunt work. It's where you get experience, so you can work your way up to bigger things."

"We've done tons of small stuff! Can't we get some action?" Naruto yells and I snort.

"It's been, what, four days?" Kakashi hits him on the head.

"Naruto, that's enough. Knock it off!"

"Apparently, Naruto needs an explanation of just what these duties are…" Lord Hokage says. "You see, every day, our village receives many requests…" I tune him out immediately. I'm not one for long lectures, and I already know how this works. But of course, Naruto had to go and screw us over. I would have been just fine with digging the damn potatoes… Wait a fucking second, Naruto isn't even paying attention!

"Hmm…I had pork ramen for lunch yesterday…So I think I'll have miso ramen today," he says.

"ARE YOU LISTENING?" the Hokage roars, which is impressive for him, considering his age.

"I…I'm sorry," Kakashi says, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"I don't want to hear it! All the old fart ever does is apologize, then give me a lecture! But it's not fair! There's more to me than the trouble-making screw-up the old man thinks I am!" I'm impressed that Naruto actually has the guts (or the complete lack of common sense, or respect, or both) to call the Hokage – THE Hokage – an old man, let alone old fart. Not only does he not use his title, he shouts at him? My father would roll over in his grave if I even _thought_ about trying that. To my surprise, both Iruka-Sensei and the Hokage smile. Kakashi is feeling a mixture of irritation and worry, probably about Naruto's behavior, and I don't blame him. If I were the Hokage, I'd chew their asses out. A pause, then…

"Very well."

"Huh?" Naruto asks. I'm right there with him – HUH?

"Since you put it that way…I will permit you to attempt a C-grade task – usually reserved for shinobi of Chunin rank…The protection of a certain individual…" Holy crap, is Lord Hokage serious? Is that all the provocation it takes to change this man's mind: the outbursts of an obnoxious twelve-year-old?

"All right!" Naruto shouts, excited. "Who is it? Some great lord? The daimyo? A princess?" I roll my eyes. Please, like they would entrust Chunins to guard such important people…If they were of any great standing, I'm sure they would higher Jonins, at the very least, if they don't already have personal bodyguards.

"Compose yourself," the Hokage insists. "I'll perform the introductions straightaway. Please invite him in." I feel a roll of satisfaction go through the Hokage's mind. He's _playing_ us! He definitely has something up his sleeve! I turn to the others to tell them so, but the door slides open.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"What's going on here? They look like a bunch of snot-nosed brats." He takes a swig of whatever liquid is in his bottle, then eyes us again. He's a man in his late fifties–early sixties, with glasses and a beer gut. White facial hair frames his lips, spiking off the end of his chin. There's a rope tied around his forehead and he looks – and smells – like a fisherman. "Especially…the midget. He's got the face of an imbecile. It's a joke, right? You kids aren't really ninja, are you?" Naruto laughs, looking around at us.

"Who'd you mean? Which midget? Which imbeci-?" He stops, realizing that he's the one the man is talking about; Sakura's a little taller, I'm about two inches taller than her, and Sasuke narrowly exceeds my height. Naruto takes a lunge at the older man, screaming, "I'll kill him!" Kakashi quickly snatches him by the back of his collar and says,

"Wrong. No killing the old man you've been assigned to protect." I give him another looking-over. From the way his eyes are drooping and the lazy way he's holding himself…I'd say he's had quite a few drinks within the past few hours. Considering it's still rather early in the day, it would be safe to assume that he's a borderline – if not full on – alcoholic.

"I am Tazuna, a bridge builder of ultimate renown. Until I am safely back in my own country, where I'll be completing my next bridge, you'll all be expected to protect me…even if it costs you your lives!" Wow, that's unnerving. Just how dangerous is this mission supposed to be again? C class? Since when do people have their lives at risk on C class missions? That's an extreme rarity; bandits usually never kill their victims, they just loot them to their fullest extent. I sigh. _Way to go, Naruto. You ass._

We're out the gate in twenty minutes, our bags on our backs. Naruto throws his hands in the air.

"All right! ROAD TRIP!" I roll my eyes and stare out into the lush forest before us.

"What are you babbling about?" Mr. Tazuna asks, glaring at him.

"This'll be the first time in my life I've ever been outside the village!" Naruto continues excitedly, looking around fervently. Neither have I, actually, so I'm rather interested in where our assignment will take us. Judging by his clothes and scent, he's probably from the Land of Waves.

"Am I really expected to place my hands in the life of this fool?" Mr. Tazuna asks, pointing his finger towards Naruto. I grit my teeth a little. _Am I really going to be expected to listen to Mr. Tazuna gripe the whole way?_ Kakashi sighs, but says brightly,

"There's no call for concern. I'm an elite ninja, and I'll be along, too…" Naruto fumes silently for a moment, but like any other silence around Naruto, it doesn't last long. He whirls around and jabs his finger toward Mr. Tazuna. Honestly, doesn't he know it's rude to point?

"Listen, you old geezer! You don't mess with ninja. Ever. Especially not a really good one, like me!" I snort, fighting down a grin. Since when is Naruto a really good ninja? He's botched almost every assignment we've received so far. "I'm the cream of the elite! In fact, one day I'm going to be the next Lord Hokage! So remember my name – Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Boy, you don't get tired of hearing yourself say that, do you?" I ask nonchalantly, arching an eyebrow at him. Kakashi snickers quietly, once more partaking in my humor.

"Hokage, eh? The lord of your village? The best of the best? …I don't think someone like you has it in him." Alright, this is getting quite irritating. I start debating whether I should turn off their vocal cords for the remainder of the trip; I could use some silence. My own thoughts are keeping me plenty preoccupied…I shoot a sideways glance at Sasuke. We've hardly spoken since the other day; in fact, things have been downright awkward. Not that I really mind, though. Awkward means distance, distance means no emotions are involved. I can handle distance a little more readily than I can being close, probably because of my…_ahem_, background. Besides, I'd like to eliminate any chance of acting on impulse...Boy, what horrid sorts of consequences would _that_ cause? I don't even want to think about it.

We finally start walking away from the entrance gate, Naruto and Mr. Tazuna still going back and forth. Thankfully, within ten more minutes everyone falls silent and we trudge along at a moderate, monotonous pace. The sun today is bright and there's only an occasional breeze; a little hot for my tastes, but at least it isn't raining. I sink into a sort-of stupor, my mind blank and unfocused, and I start getting flashes of memories from several years ago…My father's brutal training…The torment I endured at my brothers' hands…What had I done to deserve all that? I rack my brains, trying to think of some horrible thing I'd done to evoke such a vicious, negative treatment from the men in my household, but none come to mind. I shut my eyes, rubbing my temples as I feel a light headache form. I always get one when I think about my father – too much stress on my brain, I suppose. Not that I like thinking about him, anyway, and I know that son of a bitch got everything he had coming to him, but…

Why was I the one that had to be the one to do it? I had been ten years old. I hate it, but there's a constant nagging in the back of my mind; a guilty, angry, confused nagging that can't figure out how and why I had done it. Had my hate and pain become some form of tangible, deadly force? How does Stage Five work? What is it that destroys the soul? A massive discharge of chakra, or emotion, or both? I can still remember the sensation I'd felt when I'd deconstructed my father's worthless soul, and no matter how much time passes it always gives me chills to even think about it.

Sakura asks Kakashi-Sensei a question and I hear Kakashi's voice, a dull roar to my ears, start on some long explanation. I don't listen to a word that's being said, but I don't get my peace for much longer.

"What's wrong with you?" I turn to give him a dark look.

"I don't appreciate you thinking there's something _wrong_ with me, Uchiha. I'm perfectly fine." He returns my look, with his own additional malice, and he says through gritted teeth,

"Not that kind of wrong, though there is _obviously_ something wrong with you. Why do you look so…pained?" My cold expression softens into a look of surprise. He'd actually noticed?

"…It's not your problem," I answer, speaking more softly now and turning away from him. I take another step and feel my foot get wet. "What the hell-?" I look down to find my foot almost completely submerged in a puddle. "Seriously? Why do I have such rotten luck?" I shake my foot off and set it on dry ground, and as a gentle breeze blows I realize just how cold that water was. "That's…weird."

"What's weird?" Sasuke asks.

"That water was…cold."

"Isn't water always cold?" he asks in a bored tone.

"It's colder than it should be, you ass. Have you felt how warm it is out here? The temperature of that water should be a good bit warmer, at least." He shrugs and keeps walking, so I fall into step next to him. I suck in a deep breath. "Sasuke, I-" Another mental signature appears right behind us and I stop, my eyes widening. Oh shit… I spin around and spot a ninja standing behind Kakashi, right where the puddle had been. "SENSEI, BEHIND YOU!" I shout, but a moment too late. One of the shinobi, who had been back-to-back with the other, leaps into the air, a spiked chain between them, and wraps the chain around Kakashi, binding him. My heart leaps to my throat and I feel panic seize the others.

"One little piggy…" one of the shinobi snarls and they yank, tightening the chain. Kakashi is split into multiple pieces, and from the lack of pain I know it's just a decoy.

"M—MASTER KAKASHI!" Sakura shrieks.

"Two little piggies…" they chant.

"Sasuke, you can take them," I mutter.

"I know that. Just me, though?" he asks. The two then make a run for Naruto and we dive forward.

"I have to keep the others out of harm's way, in case others show up," I answer. He nods and jumps into the air. I slide beneath the chains and catch Naruto around the shins, pulling him to the ground and dragging him with me, out of the way. Sasuke tosses a shuriken and kunai into their chain, the tip of the kunai lodging itself in a tree and entrapping the two ninjas. I pull Naruto with me towards Tazuna. Sakura's practically beside herself in terror, and I can feel a sharp, stinging pain in Naruto's left hand. Shit…Poison. I get him out of the way and take a quick look at his hand. The injury's not that deep, but it's potent poison, and we have to get it out soon…Unfortunately, we didn't think to take any antidotes with us, which is a major pain in the ass. I look back at Sasuke and watch as the two ninja unhook the chain connecting them, then spin around and dive for us. Their eyes are focused primarily on Mr. Tazuna, which isn't surprising. Sakura darts in front of him, but I jump in front of her, doing handseals. Hopefully this works…I've never tried this without touching them first, but it should work either way. _Legs…off._

They try to take another step forward, but their legs no longer respond to their command, and inertia causes them to continue forward. They start to sink forward, and I get ready to knock them out, but in a flash Kakashi's standing in front of me. He catches them both around their necks and they dangle in his grasp, neither of them able to support their own weights due to their immobile legs.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I should have moved to help you sooner…before you were injured. It never occurred to me that you would freeze up. Good job, Sasuke, Tami. You too, Sakura." I nod and look at Naruto. He's in shock, and is already beating himself up over his inability to react. I frown, and remember his hand.

"Hey…" Sasuke says, looking back at him. "Are you okay…you big chicken?" Naruto blushes in embarrassment and frustration and I glare at Sasuke.

"Don't be such a royal ASS, Uchiha." I walk over to Naruto. "Give me your hand."

"I can do it myself," Naruto says.

"Bullshit, Naruto. Give me your damn hand," I snap, giving him my glare instead. With a scowl he thrusts it toward me, palm up, and I grab it and twist his arm so I can see the back of it. "You've been poisoned, just so you know."

"W-what?" he screams, staring at his hand.

"Keep your heart rate as low as you can," I say. "Don't fly into a panic, it'll just make things worse. Sensei," I call, looking up at Kakashi. "What do you recommend? We don't have any anesthetics or antidotes with us." He thinks for a moment.

"If we cut it open more deeply, the blood flow will wash the poison out." I nod and start pulling my bag off. Thankfully I DO have a make-shift First Aid kit of sorts.

"Not deep enough for stitches, though, don't you think? The claws barely scratched the surface open."

"We'll have to see. Mr. Tazuna…"

"Wh-what is it?" he asks, looking panicked.

"I need to speak with you," Kakashi answers. I zone out, pulling gauze out of my bag and a kunai knife from my pocket.

"Sorry, Naruto. I didn't think to bring antiseptics or anything with me," I say.

"No…I'm sorry." I look up at him, only to find that he's staring at the ground. "I…I shouldn't have frozen up like that. I couldn't get my legs to work. When it looked like they took out Kakashi-Sensei so easily, I…I totally freaked out."

"Don't apologize for that," I say, giving him a small smile. "It was bound to happen to one of us."

"But…you and Sasuke went for it like it was no big deal. You got me out of the way, and you made sure Sakura and Mr. Tazuna didn't get hurt. And Sasuke kept them at bay for a long time; I bet if Kakashi-Sensei hadn't stepped in when he did, you and Sasuke would have completely beaten them all by yourselves." I sigh.

"Naruto…Sasuke and I…we haven't been through the same things other people have been through. We've been forced to…to do things most people haven't. We've had to deal with…really awful things. Not that you haven't," I add quickly, looking up into his wide blue eyes. "But…let's just say our tragedies are…fresh in our minds." I take his hand and say, "This is going to sting." I press the tip of my kunai into his open wound, unleashing a heavier flow of blood. He winces, then says,

"If…if you and Sasuke have been through so much together…why aren't you two closer?" I don't answer for a moment, for the mere thought of _why_ almost causes me physical pain. The Uchiha brothers had, after all, been my first friends. It had really hurt to have the first two people who had ever shown me true kindness taken from me so suddenly. "Tami?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I mutter. He falls silent, though I can feel his curiosity at my sudden drop in mood. The poison is lingering in his hand and I sigh. "Sensei, I don't know if the poison will drain. I don't want to cut much deeper – I don't have the means to stitch him up, or to keep the injury from getting infected. An infection closer to the surface is less deadly than a deep-tissue one."

"We're not good enough yet to handle something like this…Can we quit?" Sakura asks. "We'll need an anesthetic for Naruto's wound before we can reopen it and completely drain the poison. Can't we return to the village and have a doctor look at it?" I roll my eyes. How like Sakura, so willing to run when things look less-than-peachy. Kakashi contemplates it.

"Hmm…this is…complicated! Do we go back now so we can make certain Naruto receives medical attention…?" I feel Naruto grind his teeth, his frustration building back up. He snatches the knife from my hand and before I have time to stop him, he digs it into his hand. I gape at him, then snap,

"What the FUCK are you doing, you lunatic? You'll kill yourself doing that!" I reach forward and yank the knife out of his grasp, then try to press gauze to the now gaping wound in the back of his hand.

"With this kunai knife, I promise you, I…will protect the old man! Reporting fit for duty, Sensei!" Naruto says, gritting his teeth against the pain. _Fit for duty, my ass!_

"Naruto, we needed a free flow of blood to clean the poison from your wound…but you've exceeded the need. Tami's right – you could bleed to death. I'm serious." All this he says with a bright smile on his face. Naruto, of course, immediately panics, and I sigh. _What an idiot._

"Noo! Nuh-uh! No way! Not gonna happen! I'm not gonna die like this!" Kakashi walks forward and I hand him my gauze.

"Show me your hand," he says calmly.

"What are you Naruto? Some kind of masochist? Do you get off on pain?" Sakura scolds and I groan. Just when I thought the two rouge ninjas had scared the bitch out of her… I stand up and pull my backpack on.

"Hey…" I turn to Sasuke.

"What?"

"What were you and Naruto talking about? When you were helping him clean his wound?" he asks, speaking in low tones. The others are focused on Naruto, and we're standing far enough away that we won't be overheard. I sigh.

"It's…none of your concern, Uchiha."

"I heard you two mention me. That does make it my concern," he insists, shoving his hands in his pockets. I groan, running my fingers through my hair.

"Why are you so damn persistent? It isn't something you should worry about, alright?"

"Will you stop being stubborn and just tell me?" he asks, getting annoyed himself. I huff exasperatedly.

"He brought up how well we reacted to the assault, and I told him that…we were forced to grow up faster than everyone else. And that we're just going to be better at handling such situations because of our pasts. And he…" My voice trails off as the rest of my explanation gets stuck in my throat. "Never mind. That's all we really talked about; he just didn't understand why we were so quick to respond, when he couldn't move."

"…Oh." We lapse into silence, only to hear Tazuna laugh.

"But oh well! That's not your concern! You won't be there to see my daughter and ten-year-old grandson cry all day like their hearts are breaking! Oh! And you won't mind if my daughter vows eternal hatred of all the ninjas in your village as she lives her life alone! Heck! Well, it's not your fault!" Sasuke and I both sigh, and, somehow, we say in unison,

"What an ass."

"Wow! This is some fog. I can barely see a thing," Sakura says.

"We'll be able to see the bridge in a minute. On the other side of it is Nami no Kuni – the Land of Waves." I sure hope so. Dealing with my teammates for so long without any amount of alone time is starting to take its toll; usually I get to at least eat lunch by myself, or something, and I get to go home by myself at night. While we're out on this mission, however…no such assurance.

Sure enough, within a minute, the looming figure of a bridge emerges from the fog, and soon enough we're drifting by alongside it.

"Whoa! It's HUUUUUUUUGE!" Naruto bellows. I give him a kick in the back and the rower says,

"Keep it down! This mist'll keep us hidden. But from this point on, we have to turn off the engine and row. We'd be in big trouble if Gatô caught us." Naruto clasps his hands over his mouth and we continue past, the only sounds the rippling of the water as our small boat skims the surface. "We'll be there soon!" I stare out into the misty fog, wondering just how the rower knows how close we are to the shore. The fog is so thick I can't see much more than five feet away from my position. Makes me feel a little claustrophobic. "Tazuna, so far it looks like we've been overlooked…just to be on the safe side we'll take an inland waterway through town to a point where we can make landfall under the cover of mangroves."

"Thank you," Tazuna murmurs in reply. I sigh, resting my elbow on the side of the boat and resting my chin on the palm of my hand. My other hand is resting on the seat, and after a moment I feel someone rest their hand on mine. Out of instinct I pull away, then turn to see who it was. …Sasuke? He arches an eyebrow at me, then reaches for my hand again. I jerk back a bit, giving him a puzzled look with my head tilted to the side, and he holds his hand out to me. I merely sit there, surprised that he actually _wants_ to talk telepathically. He sighs and sits forward, grabbing my hand. I try to pull it back, but this time he won't let go.

'_I would have thought you would leap at the opportunity to poke around in my head,'_ he snarls.

'_I've had enough of your thoughts for one day, thank you. You've been pretty good at verbalizing since we left. I'm surprised you actually __want__ to talk telepathically. What brought about this change?_' He snorts.

'_I thought I told you – I don't mind your powers as long as you're not prying things out of me that I don't want you to know. I want to ask you something, and I don't want to ask out loud since there's no way to do so without the others hearing.'_

'_Okay, what?'_

'_What were you going to say to me earlier? Right before we were attacked, you started to say something, but stopped when you sensed the rogues. What was it?'_

'_I…I was going to apologize for being such a bitch.'_

'_Wow. You, apologize?'_

'_Fine, you ass, if you're not going to-'_

'_What were you apologizing for?' _he asks, cutting me off. I sigh.

'_I reacted really strongly to you asking what was wrong with me. My automatic reaction when you ask me questions is to assume all you have to say is negative, so the first things out of my mouth are usually negative. And I shouldn't have reacted that way. I mean, it __is__ your fault for giving me the impression that you're an insufferable ass who has nothing nice to say about anyone, but perhaps I should start thinking about what you mean before I say something back to you.'_

'_Oh. That's all?'_ I give him a cool stare.

'_Were you expecting something else?'_

'_No,'_ he replies._ 'Just wondering if there was anything else you wanted to say.'_ He lets go of my hand and I put it back where it had been before. Everyone else on the boat has their eyes on us, but we ignore them entirely. I wonder if Kakashi-Sensei knows that I can talk back telepathically, but I'm not curious enough to ask. As for Naruto and Sakura…let them be curious. Sakura's pangs of jealousy bring me too much joy for me to spoil my own fun. Sasuke doesn't seem to have a problem with keeping them in the dark, either. We float into a mangrove forest and alight a little farther in on a small, barely noticeable dock. Tazuna looks back at the rower.

"This is as far as I go. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks…for taking such a risk. I shouldn't have asked," Tazuna says with a smile. _Yet you'll willingly ask four stranger twelve-year-olds to be your bodyguards and risk life-and-limb for your safety. What an ass._ "Okay! Now, if I can just make it home in one piece…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Kakashi mutters, and from his tone of voice I imagine he'd take great pleasure in decking Mr. Tazuna, just once, right in the face for all the trouble he's putting us through. In fact, Kakashi's mood gets lower and lower with every step we take away from the dock, as if he _knows_ we're screwed. We continue on for a while more and for some reason Kakashi just seems to become more and more on-edge. I want to ask him what's wrong, but the feeling is so...ominous that I'm afraid to find out what's on his mind. I take a few steps closer to Sasuke so I can keep my voice down.

"I think something's up," I whisper.

"What do you mean?" he murmurs in reply.

"Sensei's very tense," I reply, keeping my eyes on Kakashi's back. I think he suspects something else is coming, and soon. I'd stay alert if I were you." He nods.

"Should we get ready to protect the other two as well?" I shrug.

"I guess we should, seeing as they can't do a thing without us holding their hands." He smirks and we inch closer to our teammates. Sasuke and I are within inches of each other's shoulders, and, naturally, Sakura notices. Her envy flares and I roll my eyes.

"Knock it off, Sakura, I'm in no mood for your senseless jealousy." She scowls at me, but doesn't argue. Naruto looks at us, eyeing the distance between the two of us, then faces forward. He stops and looks back and forth frantically. He hears the slightest rustle in the bushes near us and whips out a shuriken.

"OVER THERE!" he screams, throwing the blade. We stand there in silence, waiting for the big bad "enemy" to reveal himself. Finally, Naruto coolly runs a hand through his hair and says, "I...uh, guess it was only a mouse."

"What mouse? Are you out of your mind? There was nothing there, you moron!" Sakura shrieks, going on "bitch-mode".

"Please...please don't play around with your shuriken. They can be just a teensy bit dangerous!" Kakashi pleads.

"Poor Sensei. He's going to have a mental breakdown before this is over," I mutter, looking at the four people ahead of us.

"Hn, it's not surprising that Kakashi's nervous now, if Naruto's going to continue to lose his mind. Or whatever semblance of one he has, anyway." I utter a soft, choked laugh. Everyone being so high-strung and paranoid is starting to make me quiver. My body can't handle such fierce onslaughts of crazy. Sasuke notices my hands shaking and sighs. "Not you, too."

"It's not me, you ass, it's everyone else," I growl, gripping the straps of my bag. "I can't help it. My body can't handle feeling all this tension and adrenaline without reacting to it."

"Well, learn to control it because you're making me nervous," he gripes and I feel him tense up.

"Don't do that!" I snap, hitting him lightly on the arm. "That'll just make things worse!"

"Well, calm down then!" he retorts.

"I can't! You calm down!" I whine, starting to wring my hands. To my surprise, he grabs my hands and stops them, holding them tightly. He stares into my eyes and I don't see any anxiety, fear, or panic in them.

"Tami...calm down..." he says softly, his voice level and composed. Oddly, I really do feel more at ease. How did he do that? I don't know how he helped, but...he did. I exhale slowly, then take another long, slow inhale. "Better?" I nod and he releases my hands. However, just as soon as my nerves go back to normal, I feel Kakashi's heart rate sky-rocket. He spins around and from behind me I hear something beating its way through the trees.

"EVERYONE, TAKE COVER!" Kakashi shouts and I dart forward, giving Tazuna a shove on the back before grabbing Sasuke around the waist and dragging him to the floor. I land on the ground next to him, so close we're pressed together, and something flies right over our heads. I grope around for his skin and finally find his hand. Clutching it, I ask,

_'What the HELL was that?' _We sit up, his hand still in mine.

_'I have no idea,'_ he replies, his heart rate climbing. We get to our feet, our eyes immediately focusing on the man now perched on the hilt of a sword stuck in a tree, suspended at least fifty feet in the air. _Who the hell is-?_

"Well, well...if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the kid who ran off and left the Land of the Mists!" Kakashi says mockingly, but I feel the truth - his palms are starting to perspire, his pulse is climbing... This guy is actually dangerous.

_'What is it?'_ Sasuke asks._ 'You suddenly got very pale.'_

_'This guy is bad. Even Kakashi is leery of him. I don't think Gato was screwing around this time. He must have heard how bad of an ass-kicking we gave the other two.'_

_'Well, that sucks. Plan?'_

_'I don't know. I think we should wait for Kakashi to give us orders this time, because I think he knows who we're up against.'_ Naruto is pumping himself up for a fight and I open my mouth to say something, but as he takes a step forward Kakashi throws his arm forward and stops him.

"Don't interfere. Give me room. This one is on a different plane from our previous opponents." His tone is so gravely serious, it doesn't even sound like _his _voice. The man above - Zabuza Momochi - is staring down at Kakashi very carefully, waiting for him to make a move. "And if I have to face him, it had better be..." His hand reaches for his headband. "...Like this. This may be a little rough." Zabuza's eyes narrow.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan eye, I presume? If it wouldn't be too much trouble...Could you surrender the old man?"

_'Well, at least he hasn't neglected the pleasantries of being a hit man,' _I say sarcastically.

_'Did he say...the Sharingan?' _Sasuke asks.

_'Yeah. But...he couldn't possibly be...related to you, could he?'_

_'I don't know...Maybe...'_ A small hope rises within him and, pathetically, I feel for him. _Hello! Asshole, remember? _I remind myself sharply.

"Assume the Manji battle formation. Protect Mr. Tazuna...All of you stay out of this fight. That's the kind of teamwork this situation demands." He stares up at Zabuza. "And now...Zabuza..." He slowly slides up his headband and I see it...the deep crimson iris...the small, black, comma-like pinpricks encircling it...The Sharingan eye. "Shall we?"

"Ah, to face the legendary mirror-wheel eye so early in our acquaintance...This IS an honor..."

"You keep calling it a mirror eye, a Sharingan eye...but what the heck is it?" Naruto blurts. Because of my fragile nerves and how fed-up I am of him not knowing _anything _- I snap.

"How can you possibly NOT know? Honestly, who doesn't know the power of the Sharingan eye? It's one of the most powerful ocular kekkei-genkai's in Konoha!" He and Sakura are quite surprised, both by my outburst and my know-how, but Sasuke is quite amused.

_'Not everyone "worshipped the ground my father stood on," you know,'_ he says mockingly and I give him a sharp job in the ribcage with my elbow.

"Well then, what is it?" Naruto asks, staring at me with his wide, sky blues.

"I'll let you do the honors of providing a lecture, Uchiha," I say. "Seems fitting."

"Hn, fine." He inhales softly and explains it to Naruto. "A mirror wheel, or Sharingan, eye is one of several types used by the masters...And there's more..."

"Like what?" Naruto asks.

"Heh heh...Exactly. There is indeed more. Most formidable of all is the acuity with which the Sharingan...can discern and then duplicate its opponent's greatest skill. When I was an assassin for the Kirigakure, I possessed the usual Bingo Book - a kind of who's-who of our enemies. It had quite the extensive write-up on you...including a mention of your impressive record. The man who had penetrated and copied over a thousand different techniques...Kakashi the mirror ninja." We lapse into silence and I feel mixed emotions - Sakura's doubtful of Kakashi's skill, Naruto's impressed, and Sasuke...

_'The Sharingan eye is supposed to be unique to only a small number of the Uchiha clan...Could he be-?'_

_'Sasuke?'_ My voice cuts through his chain of thought and he looks at me.

_'What?'_ I hesitate and he must see it in my eyes. _'What?'_

_'I still hate you, so don't take this too personally, but...because I know you...please don't think too much about this. I mean, about Kakashi's Sharingan. I don't want you to…get your hopes up too high.' _He exhales softly, a sinking feeling creeping into his chest and dousing his prior feeling of hope.

_'Yeah...I know.'_

"Enough. Pleasant as this conversation has been…the time for talk is over. I'm on a very tight schedule to polish off the old man." Tazuna tenses and the four of us back up, encircling Tazuna. I mimic the other three, who know this formation though I don't (guess my father skipped this lesson…). "But…Kakashi…it looks like…I'm going to have to kill you first." He yanks his sword out of the tree and springs off, landing on top of the body of water near us. He stands on top of the gentle ripples, his hands in seals I haven't seen before. What-?

"Over there!" Naruto screeches.

"Is he…walking on water?" Sakura asks, and I roll my eyes. Does she not know a skilled shinobi can do that without even thinking about it?

"The finest of the ninja arts…the Kirigakure Jutsu…" Zabuza hisses and I watch as he vanishes into a thick mist that has suddenly descended on the area. It's become so thick I can barely see my own hands, let alone my teammates.

"He'll come after me first," Kakashi says. "Zabuza Momochi of the Kirigakure assassin corps is a famous master of the art of silent killing. Letting your guard down around him buys you a direct trip to Heaven. I haven't necessarily mastered every aspect of the Sharingan eye…so all of you, stay on your toes!" I utter a weak chuckle and say,

"Thanks for the pep talk, Sensei."

"What's with all this fog?" Naruto asks aloud. Then, out of the mist, Zabuza's voice emerges as merely a soft hiss.

"There are eight targets. Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavian artery, kidney, heart…So many choices. What vital, vulnerable place shall I choose?" Then he falls silent. The tension in the air around us multiplies rapidly and it's driving me crazy. Kakashi finally makes a handseal and my teammates become even more tense – an impressive feat. Then, the worst happens; Sasuke starts to freak out. I feel his body start to quiver as his nerves start to overload, his fear and apprehension getting the best of him.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi's voice cuts through the mist and we look at our sensei. "Calm down. Even if he gets me, I'll still protect you." He flashes us a smile over his shoulder. "I will never let my comrades die!" I force a feeble smile, partially encouraged by Kakashi's words, though I would much rather not have him die on us.

"I wouldn't bet on that…" I'm snapped back to reality by the sudden presence of someone else…right behind me. I feel like I'm stuck in slow-motion as I turn, my eyes widening in horror. He can't be…

He is. Zabuza is right in the middle of our protective barrier, low to the ground and right next to Tazuna. Oh shit-! "Game over." I don't even see Kakashi move, but within a split second there he is. He gives us all a hard shove out of the way, his foot sinking into my diaphragm and knocking the wind out of me accidentally. I fall to the ground gasping, and I revolve my eyes to look back up at Kakashi. He's driven a kunai into Zabuza's abdomen, but there's no pain and in a moment he dissolves into water. Another Zabuza materializes behind him and I struggle to tell Kakashi, but my breathlessness has left me unable to speak; the most I'm capable of is a thin wheeze. Thankfully, Naruto yells,

"Sensei, behind you!" Kakashi spins around, but a second too late and Zabuza slices right through his midriff. There's no pain again, which is a relief, and Zabuza looks stunned. Less than a second later, Kakashi's standing behind him.

"Don't move," he says, holding a kunai knife to Zabuza's neck. "Game over."

"Awesome!" Naruto shouts and Sakura giggles happily, but I can feel that something isn't right. Sasuke steps quickly to my side and kneels next to me.

"What happened?" he mutters.

"K…Ka…Kashi," I wheeze. "Hit me…little…too hard…" He nods and I look past him, back to Kakashi and Zabuza.

"You think it's over? You just don't get it…It'll take more to defeat me than mimicking me like an ape. A lot more. But you are good! Too bad for you…" I see the doppelganger before anyone else and I try to shout, but I can't inhale hard enough, so I raise my arm and point.

"Z…Zabuza-!" I gasp and Sasuke spins around.

"Kakashi-!" Sasuke starts.

"I'm not that easy to fool!" Zabuza says, putting his own knife to Kakashi's neck. The Zabuza in front of Kakashi melts into water. He was just another doppelganger. Shit. Zabuza swings his massive sword toward Kakashi, like before, but Kakashi ducks. Using his momentum and the sword as leverage, Zabuza continues to spin his body and sends a swift kick into Kakashi. He goes flying, skidding all the way into the water. At first I wonder if Kakashi was really sent all that way, but a sudden, more pressing matter attracts my attention; Zabuza feels a surge of euphoria. I piece together why quickly, then wrench myself upright and force my lungs to expand.

"SENSEI, GET OUT OF THE WATER!" I scream, but I'm too slow. Zabuza's already there, making handseals with dizzying speed. Water suddenly engulfs Kakashi, surrounding him until he's trapped within a ball. Zabuza says something to Kakashi before making another handseal, and another Zabuza water clone emerges from the lake.

"Heh…little ninja wannabe. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a headband. But a true ninja is one who has crossed and recrossed the barrier between the lands of the living and the dead. Clothes don't make you a shinobi. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my Bingo Book before you deserve to be called a ninja. We don't call your kind "ninja". We call them…" He darts forward so fast I miss it and kicks Naruto hard in the head, knocking off his headband and sending him skidding back.

"Naruto!" Sakura cries, and I quickly get to my feet, darting forward to help him. That kick hurt a lot. I reach his side and kneel next to him.

"You okay?" I ask and he nods just slightly. Everyone's a complete wreck; even Sasuke, my emotional stronghold, is crumbling under the stress. I look down at Naruto, then behind me to the other three, and finally set my eyes on Kakashi and Zabuza. _What the hell are we going to do now?_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer! I don't own anything besides what's rightfully mine! Everything else (yes, even the fabulous Uchiha Sasuke) belongs to Kishimoto-san! Oh, and by the way, anything written in italics, but not accompanied by '...' are inner thoughts. I only use the apostrophes when it's a conversation or if Tami's listening to someone else's thoughts. :D_

**Chapter 6**

"…Brats," Zabuza finishes in a menacing tone.

"Listen, everyone! Take Mr. Tazuna and GO! It's a fight you can't win! If he wants to hold me in this water prison, he can't leave this place! If his water doppelganger gets more than a certain distance away from his body he loses control of it. So get out of here!" Naruto feels the gravity of the situation we're in and his terror spikes.

'_He's an elite ninja. A real, elite ninja. We have to get away. I can't just lie here. There's no doubt of it! We'll die if we don't. He'll kill us!'_ He grabs my hand and starts to hurry back, but as he puts weight on his injured hand it throbs painfully. _'Ow…' _He looks at it and remembers the promise he made when he was a dumbass and stabbed himself. Images flood his mind as he recalls all his recent triumphs and the hard work that went into each of them. He throws a glance back at Zabuza and the gears in his mind start turning.

"Tami…I have a plan."

"Yeah," I whisper softly as I help him to his feet. "I know."

"Can you-?" he starts and I cut him off.

"Yeah."

"Well…in that case…" He breaks free of my grip and charges at Zabuza. I watch him, hoping this isn't going to get him killed.

"Naruto! What are you thinking?" Sakura shrieks.

"Hah…imbecile," Zabuza mocks, and as soon as Naruto's within reach he hits him – _hard_. The sound of the blow reverberates through the clearing and the pain he feels is almost crippling. He comes flying back and I move in front of him. He slams into me, as we'd hoped, and knocks me to the ground.

"Nnh…Did you get it?" I ask.

"Y…yeah," he mutters in reply.

"What were you thinking, tackling him by yourself? You think you're so cool, but junior ninja like us can't-!" She stops when she sees the headband Naruto has clutched in his grasp.

"Pretty ballsy, all for your headband," I groan, pushing him off me gently. "We'd have gotten it later."

"It couldn't wait," he replies, getting to his feet. I sit up and he looks up at Zabuza. "Hey…you…what's it like living without eyebrows, Freak?" I utter a soft, incredulous chuckle and look at Sasuke.

"Help me up." He arches an eyebrow at me for a moment, but when I extend my hand to him he understands and walks forward. He takes it and the second we're in contact I tell him everything Naruto had planned out. He commits it to memory and helps me to my feet.

'_He's smarter than I give him credit for,'_ he says and I smirk.

'_Isn't he just?'_ Naruto ties on his headband then says,

"Sasuke, I have a plan."

"Hn…So, it's time for some teamwork?" he asks and starts getting himself ready to spring into action. Sakura feels a surge of emotion toward Naruto – positive, for once – and I'm glad she's finally catching on that he's more than he appears…sometimes.

"Heh…you're very sure of yourself, but do you really think you stand a chance against me?" Zabuza taunts, feeling completely at ease.

"What's the matter with you? I told you to run! It's over! It was over the second he caught me! You have to do your duty, keep that in mind! We're here to protect Tazuna!"

"Gramps?" Naruto asks, looking at the bridge-builder over his shoulder.

"Let's face facts. The truth is, I got us into this mess by lying. I've had a real long life, and it would be wrong to let you four kids get yourselves killed trying to save me. So you go ahead and give this fight everything you've got!" I smirk. _We intend to._

"…So that's it," Sasuke says. Zabuza snickers, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Apparently you don't care whether you live to get any older! Playing at being a ninja like it's a child's game…I, however, by the time I was your age, had already dyed these hands in my enemies' blood." My teammates are taken aback, disgusted, and I myself shudder at the thought of killing, but…I already had. I…I guess we aren't too different.

'_NO!'_ I scream at myself, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes. _'It was an accident! I didn't mean to do it! He's a monster, he MEANT to kill people – he __enjoys__ it! But I would __never__-!'_

But…I can't say I would take it back. I love being free of my father's tormenting; all the yelling, and chastising, and punishment, and orders, and beatings, and verbal abuse, all for no good reason whatsoever. I love not being detested and not having to feel the loathing that was behind his eyes every time he looked at me. I love not being controlled and forced to train until I feel about ready to die. I love not being beaten up and mocked by my brothers. I love…having killed him.

"The demon Zabuza!" Kakashi spits accusingly.

"It would seem my reputation has preceded me," Zabuza mutters, feeling a bit proud.

"Years ago, in the Village Hidden in the Mists – also known as the Village of the Bloody Mists – the final step to becoming a full-fledged shinobi was the most inhumanly difficult test imaginable."

"So…you've heard about our little graduation exercise," Zabuza purrs, sounding delighted.

"Graduation exercise? W-What graduation exercise?" Naruto asks. Zabuza chuckles again and slowly looks up at Naruto.

"It's a kind of _killing spree_…among classmates. Students who'd been friends, eating from the same dish, as undergrads were divided into pairs who were forced to fight against each other…to the death. Think of it. Comrades who had trained together, lived together, shared each other's every hope and dream…" An eerie silence falls over us until Sakura murmurs,

"That's terrible."

"Ten years ago, the elders of the Village Hidden in the Mist were forced to enact a sweeping reform of their barbaric graduation ritual because of the appearance, during the previous year, of a human fiend who made reform essential…" Kakashi's voice trails off, as if debating whether or not to finish.

"What kind of reform?" Sakura asks, and Kakashi doesn't answer immediately. "What are you talking about? What did the human fiend you're talking about do?"

"Without a moment's hesitation…without any hint of a qualm…a boy who hadn't even qualified yet as a ninja…butchered over a hundred members of that year's graduating class."

"Ah, yes. Good times. I used to have so much fun," Zabuza purrs, looking absolutely elated as he stares off into space, recalling the things he's done. My hands start trembling as a wave of fury overtakes me.

"You…" I'm running towards him before I even have time to talk myself out of it. "YOU BASTARD!" I don't know when I pulled a weapon, but I feel the handle of my kunai knife pressed against my palm. The second I'm close, though, his clone bats me away as if I'm a mere toy and I go flying back. Pain sprouts from the blow, but I manage to catch myself on my hands and feet before running back at him. "How can you talk about taking someone's life like it's meaningless? How could you take the lives of all those innocent kids? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I dart past the water clone and head straight for the real figure. Once I'm within reach I swing, but he catches me by the front of my shirt with his free arm, lifting me off my feet and dangling me.

"Pompous little twerp," he hisses, giving me a leer that makes the hair on the back of my neck shoot up. "You think you have the right to lecture me on killing people? Just what do you know?" I grip his wrist, trying to pull myself up a bit.

"I know enough," I spit in reply. "You think I'm a pompous little twerp, huh? Well, joke's on you, asshole, because while your muscled arms may be helpful in tossing around a bunch twelve-year-olds, they can also give me-!" I swing my body up, and because he's so much stronger he doesn't move, and I drive my foot into his nose, feeling it crunch beneath the force. "-Leverage!" He releases me immediately and I fall to the floor. I use my right arm to break my fall, but I hit the ground so hard the blow causes it to fall numb. Using my left, I roll over and scream, "Sasuke, Naruto, NOW!" Something catches me by the side and flips me over, only for it to be driven into my stomach. My breath leaves me in a ragged gust, as do a few splotches of blood, and I'm left gasping for air. The world around me starts to fade in and out as my crushed diaphragm starts to asphyxiate me, and it doesn't help that I can't move his foot.

"Where's your leverage now?" he growls, and his voice is thick from his broken nose. I can't manage to fire back another smart-aleck comment; all I can muster is a soft groan of pain and another frantic, unhelpful gasp for oxygen. He's staring down at me, his eyes glowing with a dangerous, murderous rage, but the next second he looks up. "At least this time you've had the sense to zero in on my true form. Amateur!" He grabs a windmill shuriken out of midair, and I see another fly right over my head_. Good; they did what I told them, for once._ I smile slightly, though my vision is getting darker by the second. Zabuza suddenly shoots up, jumping over the second shuriken, and I take a deep breath, rolling out of the way and staggering to my feet. I sway for a moment, sucking in a few more deep breaths. I turn and watch the 'second shuriken' transform back into Naruto and he tosses his kunai at Zabuza. _Come on, come on!_

As the kunai nears him, I feel Zabuza's astonishment, and the conflict going on in his mind. Finally, one side gives in and he retracts his hand from the water prison just in time to dodge the kunai knife. For a moment, we all feel a sweep of victorious joy, but it vanishes the next when Zabuza spins around, the windmill shuriken still in his hand.

"Naruto, move!" I cry, but my voice is weak due to being nearly suffocated – _TWICE_. However, Kakashi shoots up and blocks the weapon with his hand.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura screams, smiling. Naruto surfaces, coughing, and Kakashi says,

"Naruto…your scheme was brilliant. You've matured…all of you." Naruto grins, feeling proud, and Zabuza utters a soft chuckle.

"So…you made me fly into such a rage that I unraveled the spell holding the water prison together…"

"No. You didn't drop your own spell. It was _broken_…from without," Kakashi corrects. "Just so you know, the same trick won't work on me twice. Your move." I suddenly realize how weak my legs are and I collapse. After all the abuse my midriff has taken today, I'm still having a little trouble breathing deeply; all I can really manage are shallow huffs. Someone runs to my side and heaves me to my feet, pulling my arm over their shoulder and making me walk in the direction of the other two.

'_What were you __thinking__?'_ I groan as his chastising voice rings through my head.

'_Oh, shut it, Uchiha. I'm not in the mood for a fucking lecture.'_

'_You could have died! I thought Naruto was supposed to be the stupid one!'_ he continues, ignoring what I said entirely.

'_Will you knock it off? I lost my head for a second – it's not entirely my fault, after being subjected to Naruto's incessant spontaneity all damn day!' _He huffs exasperatedly, but stops giving me crap. Once we're away from the fighting, he says,

"You're gasping."

"You're an ass," I wheeze. "What do you expect? Zabuza was crushing me, and Kakashi already knocked the wind out of me today."

"You going to live?" he asks sarcastically and I growl,

"Just because I'm out of breath doesn't mean I can't inflict pain, Uchiha, remember that." He rolls his eyes, but falls silent again. The surface of the lake suddenly morphs into what looks like a gigantic dragon, and as it comes down it sends waves over the banks, coming all the way to us and rushing by our legs. I clutch Sasuke for support and his grip on me tightens as he pulls me closer. As the waves die away, I see Kakashi and Zabuza, blade-against-blade, standing in the middle of the lake. They shoot back in opposite directions, and Zabuza suddenly feels extremely freaked out. He darts in a semicircle, and Kakashi does the same. Zabuza lifts one arm, making handseals with both, and Kakashi mirrors him; when Zabuza lowers his arm, so does Kakashi. They exchange words, but they're so far away I can't hear them. "Is this…the real power of the Sharingan eye, Sasuke?" I breathe.

"Yeah," he replies. "I've never seen it in action. This is…incredible." The two out on the water make handseals again, Kakashi mimicking Zabuza's every move, then they pause. For a moment, nothing happens, then Kakashi makes a few more and a vortex of water shoots in Zabuza's direction, knocking him out of the lake and sending him crashing into a tree. We're doused in more water and we all stand our ground against the force. Kakashi leaps into the tree Zabuza crashed into, and when the water dies down, Zabuza mutters,

"What…can you see the future?"

"I foresee…your death," Kakashi replies. Before I have a chance to even blink, two senbon needles cut through the air and lodge themselves into Zabuza's neck. He falls to the ground, his body limp and lifeless. I gape at him. What the FUCK-?

"Heh heh…your prediction came true." We all spin around to face the tree across the field, where there stands a boy who can't be much older than us. His voice is soft and sweet, and his frame is slim and hardly masculine. Kakashi jumps down from his perch and checks for Zabuza's pulse. There isn't one. "Thank you for your help. I hope you don't mind my interfering…but I wanted the satisfaction…of putting Zabuza out of his misery myself."

"The mask is familiar…correct me if I'm wrong…but aren't you a shinobi hunter from the Village Hidden in the Mist?" Kakashi asks.

"Well, aren't you the smart one?" the boy asks, sounding amused. "I am, indeed, a member of the elite tracking unit from the Village Hidden in the Mist. It is our responsibility – and our art – to hunt down and deal with the rogues and outlaws…" Naruto steps forward, looking between the boy and Zabuza's body, trying to make heads-or-tails of the situation. Me, I'm too exhausted to care. I sink against Sasuke, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Not going to pass out on me, are you?" he asks.

"Mm…I might," I say, my lips curving into a small smile. "You're more comfy than I'd thought you'd be." He rolls his eyes again, but doesn't move me.

'_How's your stomach doing? You're not wheezing so much anymore.'_

'_Eh, I've been better. As long as I'm not told to run anywhere anytime soon, I think I'll be okay,'_ I reply. I notice his own stomach's a bit sore and I ask_, 'What happened to you? You're all sore.'_

'_Zabuza landed a few good blows before we could really get into action with our plan, that's all. No big deal,'_ he replies, trying to act tough. I snicker and pat him on the cheek with my free hand.

'_Ahh, Sasuke, you're so amusing.'_ This irritates him, but that just makes it all the more humorous. The hunter teleports to Zabuza's side and picks him up.

"Your battle is over, for now…and the remains must be disposed of…lest they give up secrets to our foes." I suddenly feel uneasy, and I can't understand why. I look at the boy carefully, but I can't see his eyes nor am I in any position to get in contact with him. But there's something wrong here…really wrong. "Well then, I must be off." He makes a handseal and vanishes, leaving no trace that he or Zabuza had ever been there.

'_Tami?'_ I look up at Sasuke. _'What is it?_' I hesitate.

'…_I don't know.'_

"Now! We still have to escort Mr. Tazuna the rest of the way to his home. Let's put our best feet forward!" Kakashi says brightly. I almost groan, but hold my tongue.

"Ha-ha-ha! You poor kids! You must be so humiliated! But never mind. You can lick your wounds at my house." Oh, he's just _PLEADING_ to get the shit kicked out of him. Suddenly, Kakashi falls forward, slamming into the ground. His body is completely immobile, and it hits me just how taxing the power of the Sharingan can be on a person. At first I'm surprised that his kekkei-genkai could do so much harm to him, but then I remember the last time I'd pushed my powers a bit far… We hurry to Kakashi's side, and when it's clear that our dear sensei can't move, we work together and lift him up, following Tazuna as he leads us toward his house.

It takes Kakashi a while to wake, but at last he does. Just as he comes to, Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, walks in. She puts her hands on her hips and says,

"Are you alright, Sensei?"

"No, but I will be…in about a week," he replies and I sigh. We're stuck here for at least another week? Seriously? It's bad enough we had to escort Tazuna here to begin with, but being stuck in the house with his ass for another week…Not only that, but if I have to spend a much longer period of time with my teammates without a break, I'll go insane.

"The Sharingan eye is an incredible power, but doesn't the strain it puts on your body make you wonder if it's worth it?" Sakura asks. I roll my eyes and say,

"We probably would have had a much more strenuous fight had he not used it." She glowers at me but I completely dismiss it.

"I can't get my mind off that masked kid…" Sakura then says, her hand on her chin. Kakashi immediately launches into an explanation as to who hunter shinobi are and what they do, which I tune out of. My family line has been filled with hunter shinobi, dating all the way back to when that class of tracker was invented. Who better to hunt down rouges than mind-readers?

"Silently and without a trace…that's how ninja leave the world," Kakashi says softly, his lecture having sapped some of his meager energy.

"So Zabuza's corpse will be dismembered and destroyed? That's so creepy-!" Sakura says, getting chills.

"If you'd like, Sakura, I could do the same to you right now so you wouldn't have to be so creeped out," I say with a particularly malicious smirk. She shudders from me and I turn my gaze back to the window. Shortly afterwards, Kakashi falls back asleep. I can feel the heavy fatigue that sits on his body like a boulder and know he's right; it's going to take at least a few days for his strength to return. After a while, I pull on my shoes and leave the house, going to the field behind Tazuna's house. The sun is bright today and the air is thick with humidity. Already I can feel my shirt sticking to me, and though I hate humidity, I'd rather be out here than in there. I flop down on the grass and lie back, shutting my eyes and letting my other senses dominate. I can feel the sunlight sinking into my skin and warming me to my core; feel the breeze as it pushes my bangs to its liking; feel the tension escape my muscles as I relax against the heated earth…For what seems like an hour, I'm caught in the indeterminate phase between sleep and wakefulness before finally succumbing to the allure of a midday nap.

-Sasuke's P.O.V.-

About an hour after Tami leaves, I follow her out. She must be getting as annoyed with our teammates as I am, but at least she isn't the object of Sakura's persistent gaze. Her affections are nothing short of revolting. How can she be so obsessed with me when she doesn't know me at all? I step outside and it takes me a second to find her. She's lying on the ground awhile away, about fifty feet from the house, and she's barely moving. What in the world is that crazy ass girl doing NOW? I walk over to her, my skin already slick with moisture from the smothering humidity, and say,

"Want to tell me why you're lying on the ground?" Surprisingly, she doesn't reply. "Not even going to bother firing back some smart-alecky response?" Again, nothing. In fact, she doesn't seem to notice my presence at all. Silent treatment? What had I done to piss her off THIS time? I walk to her side and I'm taken aback. She's…sleeping. The only movement she's making is the natural rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. Has she been asleep this whole time? Out in the sun, no less. I sit down next to her and stare out across the yard, then into the forest beyond. After a few minutes of this, my own eyelids start feeling heavy. No wonder she fell asleep…this heat is enough to make anyone doze off. My gaze turns to her again and it suddenly hits me how…pretty she is, when she's not glaring or smirking or being an over-all brat. When she's calm and relaxed, she's a rather attractive girl. But seeing as she's ALWAYS glaring or smirking, it's hard to appreciate such good-looks when you're refraining from wiping the smirk off her face.

Suddenly, her expression changes. Her eyebrows knit together and her face contorts with what appears to be pain. She turns to her side, one of her hands gripping the grass beneath her. Her breathing becomes shallow and ragged, periodically broken by deeper gasps of pain.

"Tami?" I say, moving closer to her. What could be causing her so much pain? She looks like I'd always imagined I would whenever I had nightmares of Itachi; tossing, breathing heavily… "Tami, wake up." She utters a soft cry of pain and pulls her arms a little closer to her guardedly.

"No…" she whimpers quietly. "Don't…I didn't…" She draws another breath, a tremor tearing through her frame. "No…please, don't – DON'T-!"

"Tami!" I say, grabbing her wrist and putting a hand on her cheek. Her eyes burst open and she gasps so harshly, it sounds agonizing. For a moment, she doesn't do anything but breathe and I can see in her eyes that she's having to remind herself that it was only a nightmare. Her eyes flutter shut and her eyebrows knit again in concentration as she forces whatever painful dream she'd had out of her thoughts. Finally, she reopens her eyes and meets my gaze. Her breathing still hasn't returned to its normal pace, but otherwise she seems to have returned to herself. Except for one thing…her eyes are thinly glossed over with tears.

"What are you…doing out here?" she asks.

"Same as you, I think," I reply. "Trying to get away from the other two." She nods slowly, letting her eyes shut again. Surprisingly, one of her hands reaches up and covers mine, keeping it to her cheek.

"Thank you for waking me," she says quietly. I don't answer that, but I don't think I really need to. Her other hand, of the wrist I'm still holding, has fallen limp as the frantic tension in her body has ebbed. She releases my hand and sits upright, making me aware of how close I got to her; when she's sitting up, we're within a foot of one another. She puts a hand to her forehead and I ask,

"Are you alright?" She smirks, showing real signs of being back to normal, and replies,

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Better not let Sakura catch you showing concern though. Go back to being an ass." I roll my eyes, but feel more reassured now. If she's recovered so quickly after that, then it hopefully wasn't as traumatic as it'd looked. Either that or…she's had the same nightmare before, and is just getting accustomed to having to wake up from it. She gets to her feet and says, "I think I'd better get back inside before I get sunburned. Coming?" I nod and stand as well, walking with her back to the house.

Tami's P.O.V.

Another shudder rips through me as we walk back, and I'm glad it escapes Sasuke's notice. I hate having people constantly ask if I'm 'alright'. No, technically I'm not fucking _alright;_ I'm never _alright_, and I probably will never be completely _alright_ again. Asking me about it isn't going to make me any less of an emotional and psychological wreck; it's just annoying. But Sasuke doesn't know what I'd done, and I'd like to avoid having to tell him for as long as possible. It's a tidbit of past I'm not particularly fond of, for good reason. We get back inside and Tazuna laughs.

"Oh good, you made it back. We were just about to send a search party after you two!"

"Yeah, what happened? Get a little _lost_?" Sakura asks, eyeing me suspiciously. I smirk and say,

"Unfortunately for Sasuke, no. He tried, but I'm definitely the type who stops and asks for directions." Sakura glares at me hard, Tazuna bursts into laughter, and Naruto gives Sasuke a stunned look, as if he really thought Sasuke had tried. Sasuke just rolls his eyes and takes off his shoes, walking back to his spot on the floor. I follow suit and say, "Any change in our cadaver yet, or are we to assume he's a complete vegetable?"

"What?" Naruto asks, completely lost, and I roll my eyes.

"Did he wake up while we were out, or has he been asleep this whole time?"

"Oh! No, he hasn't woken up." I nod and sit down near the window. "Hey Sakura, what do you think Sensei looks like under his mask?" he asks. We all turn to him, and Sakura says,

"I-I have no idea. Like a regular person, I guess."

"Well, he has a scar over his Sharingan eye – do you think the rest of him looks normal, or do you think he's all cut up and stuff?" She mulls over this and finally says,

"I…I don't know." He stands and says,

"Why don't we find out? He is asleep, after all. Last time he passed out he was practically dead the whole time, too." She considers it, then stands and says,

"Okay, but be careful! Don't be hasty and wake him up, Naruto; you've always been a real klutz!" He nods and they creep forward, being very slow and careful. How is it they can be absolutely silent and focused when they're trying to snoop, but on a mission they're all but useless?

"Who's going to do it?" Naruto whispers.

"You do it! I'm too nervous!" Sakura says and he nods. Kneeling next to Kakashi, Naruto starts to reach forward, his fingers trembling as he moves toward the top of Kakashi's mask. The tips of his fingers touch our sensei, and I feel a violent surge in energy from Kakashi's brain and turn. He wakes with a start and the two of them scream, flopping back in a hurry. I'd laugh if Kakashi's emotions didn't worry me so much; he's suddenly extremely apprehensive, and his mind is working in full gear. I turn toward him completely, staring at our sensei as his mind feverishly tosses and turns. Sasuke shoots me a look and eyes the expression on my face. I meet his gaze and he understands it immediately – something's wrong. Again.

"Sensei, what is it?" I ask, walking over to him. Something in his mind finally clicks and he groans.

"Of course…the shinobi hunters who manage corpse disposals are supposed to destroy the bodies of those they kill at once, right on the spot." I tilt my head to the side.

"So what?" Sakura asks and I scoff. Stupid pink-haired bimbo…

"Don't you get it? How did that masked kid dispose of Zabuza's body?" Kakashi asks.

"How should I know?" Sakura asks, shrugging. "He took the body with him."

"Yes, he did…" Kakashi muses. "Even though all he needed to take home as proof he'd made the kill was the head!"

"But that could easily be explained," I interject. "Maybe he wanted to be sure we couldn't interfere with the disposal."

"True, but there's a mystery surrounding the weapons the hunter used to dispatch his prey…" he adds. I think back; he'd only used senbon – acupuncture needles. Used correctly, they were completely harmless, even therapeu– Sasuke and I get it at the same time and our eyes widen.

"No way," he says.

"No _fucking_ way!" I cry, though it now makes such blatant, horrifying sense that I can barely bring myself to deny it.

"Yes…way," Kakashi says.

"What the hell nonsense are you all blabbering on about?" Tazuna asks. Kakashi looks up at him.

"That it's likely…Zabuza is still alive." Sakura, Naruto, and Tazuna share looks of horror and I say,

"But I felt him die! He completely lost feeling, mental processes – I could have sworn I felt his heart stop beating!"

"And he had no pulse," Kakashi says. "But a deathlike trance could have created a very convincing illusion of the real thing." I let out an incredulous laugh and throw my hands in the air.

"Great! Absolutely fucking _wonderful_! Why doesn't Gato just send some more henchmen while he's at it? Hell, send an entire army of damn A-ranked shinobi! Our rag-tag, 4-man squad of genin and our solo Jonin teacher can handle them! Why the hell not?" With that I storm out. What the _FUCK_? Not only did we have to find out this mission is _three_ ranks above our qualification, not only did we have to face hired _assassins_, not only did we have to fight Zabuza _ONCE_ – Nooooo, we have to find out he's STILL ALIVE! And something tells me he's not the type to take defeat well.

I pace back and forth angrily, trying to force myself to calm down. Probably shouldn't have flown off the handle like that, but this is completely unfair! We're kids! We're twelve fucking years old! How can we be expected to do this? We're not prepared for this! We don't have the training to face him! What if he comes back before Kakashi's well enough? What if one of us dies? Two of us? _All_ of us? How much death are we expected to face for the life of one person?

My anger isn't dissipating like I'd hoped, but as a breeze blows a realization hits me; we're near water. I remember the direction of the coast and head off. I consider leaving a note or something, but I'm too desperate for an escape from my negative emotions to waste more time. I reach the water in thirty minutes and take a deep breath. Already I'm not as tense; just being around the sea alleviates my stress. I pull my over-shirt and shoes off, then walk to the water's edge. A wave rolls up and crashes over my feet, sending soothing waves through me. Water's always had a sort of healing quality for me; perhaps it's because it's the physical manifestation of what I try to maintain within myself. Tranquil, cool, powerful… I wade farther out and when I'm waist-deep I push off, diving in and letting it give me an escape. I stay under for a few seconds, then surface and push my soaked bangs from my face. I tread water for a minute or so, just enjoying how the moving water swells around my neck, then floats away, then I sink back under the surface.

Sasuke's P.O.V.

Tami's sudden burst of rage left us all completely confused, and though it was a little unprofessional, I don't think we necessarily disagree with her. This mission, needless to say, hasn't been what any of us expected. Tami's also had to suffer through all our emotions and pain since we started, so she's probably far more susceptible to emotional imbalance than the rest of us. Also…there's something she's hiding from us. She wouldn't have nightmares for no reason, especially not horrifying ones like the one I'd witnessed her having earlier. She's keeping something bottled up in her mind, and it's tearing her apart slowly. I haven't any idea what could be the cause, and I doubt she'd be up to telling me. After all, I'm just an ASS.

Kakashi decides that, instead of returning home despite the completion of our mission, we're going to stay here and continue to keep watch over Tazuna. He's planning on upping our training schedule while we wait for him to recover, and though I look forward to the opportunity of refining my skills, I doubt Tami's going to leap at the idea. Then again, she seems to enjoy exercise. Kakashi finally turns to me and says,

"Sasuke, would you mind stepping outside and telling Tami our plan of action?" I stand and slide my shoes on, readying myself for the onslaught of anger I know I'm about to face. I wouldn't be surprised if that psycho has rigged a booby trap outside the door to kill whoever has the misfortune of stepping outside first. I slide the door open and, thankfully, no booby trap. I step out and look around for her. That's odd – I don't see her. Shutting the door behind me, I step farther into the field, wondering if she's against the side of the house I can't see, but she's not. I take another look around, scanning the trees, too. I sigh.

"Very funny, Tami. Kakashi-Sensei wants you to come back inside. We've got training to do." I wait for her to show herself; walk out of the woods with some large, dead animal in tow or something awful, but the only thing I get in response is silence. I groan. "Quit messing around, Tami, we've got work to do." Again, nothing. I feel my curiosity and, oddly, my anxiety raise. _Where is she?_ I look around for a note or some clue to where she'd gone, but there's nothing to suggest she was even here. I retreat back to the house and push the door open. "Sensei, she's not out there."

"What? She just ran off?" he asks. "Even after we agreed that Zabuza is probably alive?"

"Apparently so," I reply. Naruto leaps to his feet.

"Sensei, we gotta go find her! What if something bad happens to her?" he asks, his eyes wide with alarm. Kakashi waves his hand nonchalantly.

"Relax, Naruto, I'm sure she'll turn up. Don't get worked up. If she's not back soon, we'll go look for her." Kakashi's calm helps keep me from worrying, as well. Perhaps Zabuza has to recover, as well, and can't possibly have kidnapped her. However, there is the matter of the masked kid…

Tami's P.O.V.

I spend two more hours in the water, spending most of it either underneath or on my back, floating along the surface. It's definitely given me time to get a clearer head. It's been awhile since I've been so out of control with what's going on around me. I've been used to having the upper hand in all situations for two years; I've made sure to get it the second I'm given a challenge, because I don't like what happens when I get backed into a corner. But _this_…I lost the upper hand, and what's worse is that it's not only my life hanging in the balance this time – it's the lives of several other people. Even though I can barely stand them, I don't know how well I'd take having to watch one of my teammates die. I swim back to shore and wring the water from my shoulder-length hair, tying it back in a ponytail then squeezing the hem of my shirt. I figure it's useless to try and squeeze the water from my capris, seeing as it won't make a difference if I don't take them off (and who knows what pervert could be lurking around?). Instead, I pull my shoes on and start for the house. My returning speed is much slower than the pace I'd had when leaving; I can't say I'm too eager to get back. I wonder if my teammates even noticed my absence. Probably not.

When I get back to Tazuna's, I find them all outside, even Kakashi. My teammates are taking running starts at the trees, kunai in their hands, and are trying to run up the trunk. Sasuke's gotten pretty far, but Naruto keeps falling off. Sakura, surprisingly, is doing very well, and seems to have it down. Well, that's a surprise; there's an aspect of being a ninja she's actually _good_ at. She's the first one to spot me and screams,

"Look! She's back!" Everyone stops and turns to stare at me.

"Hi to you too, Sakura," I say dully. My undershirt has dried enough, I decide, so I pull my overshirt on and strap it shut. Their suspicion levels raise and I look up at them. "What?"

"How do we know you're the real Tami?" Sakura asks.

"Is mentioning your enormous forehead enough for you?" I growl irritably. This gets a glare in return, but it also lowers their doubt. I walk over to Kakashi and dutifully bow. "I apologize for flying off the handle the way I did, Sensei." He nods.

"I know it isn't exactly easy for you to deal with all our emotions all the time."

"You can say that again," I mutter.

"So, you understand the basics of chakra, right?" he asks and I nod.

"Of course. Why?"

"I had to ask. Naruto felt it more important to get in some 'quality nap time' during his days at the academy rather than listen to Iruka's lectures on chakra," Kakashi says, throwing a look at Naruto. The blonde grins sheepishly before going back to his training. "I'm teaching you all how to control chakra flow and direct it to specific points of your body. You should get started." I arch an eyebrow at him, then pull out a kunai knife. I step in front of an unused tree and look up to the top; must be at least a hundred and fifty, if not two hundred feet above the ground. I take a running start and when I hit the trunk I just keep going. This was one of the last things my son-of-a-bitch father taught me before he died, and I've been practicing it for two years. It takes me about two minutes to reach the top and I slice the tip off with my knife. I then spring back, free-falling down the side of the tree until I hit a branch, then I jump from branch to branch until I reach the lowest one, still a good thirty feet off the ground. I twist the twig in my fingers and say,

"That high enough for you, Sensei?" He smiles and says,

"Looks like _both_ our ladies have excellent chakra control. How did you learn to do that?"

"Last thing my father bothered teaching me," I reply, sitting on the branch. Kakashi continues to watch the boys struggle for a while, then retires to the house. Sakura eventually follows him, but I stay outside and watch. After about two more hours, I too go back to the house.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello all! Chapter 7! Wow, on Quizilla this is chapter 12-13ish...I'm making good time! lol Sooo, I don't own Naruto, though if I did I'd probably be making BANK right now...And since I don't own it, I've taken to writing fanfictions! :D Fantastic! Back to the story!_

**Chapter 7**

Sakura yawns from across the bridge, stretching to alleviate the urge to fall asleep. I roll my eyes.

"If you're so terribly _bored_, Sakura, you could give us a hand, you know." I'd put myself to work about an hour and a half ago, and I now have sweat running down my back and neck. It's nice having something to do, something productive. Also, the sooner the bridge is finished, the sooner we can go home. I'd rather help build the damn thing than try and fight off Zabuza again. Unfortunately, I'm sure the latter is more likely to happen than the former.

"Oh please. Construction isn't a job for a lady, it's for men! I mean, I could tear my dress on a nail or something! Besides, I'm not strong enough to lift all that stuff!" I groan.

"Construction isn't all about lifting, you dumbass. There's other, more simple tasks you could do. I'M not lifting thick slabs of concrete over my shoulders, now am I?"

"Hmph," is all I get in reply, so I drop the matter and get back to work. The idea of me working had surprised Tazuna at first, too, but he needed the extra set of hands and didn't hesitate to give me a job. It had started with simply bringing small tools to the others, but once I'd proven how good a worker I am he'd given me more serious jobs. Now I was helping them build railing, platforms, and other things. Most of the workers know my name now, I've become so popular. I also have about six splinters, which sucks.

"All alone and lonesome?" Tazuna asks Sakura as she yawns again. "Where's Blondie and Pretty Boy?" I snort. Pretty boy.

"Training," she replies.

"Then why aren't you with them?" he asks.

"I surpassed them. Kakashi-Sensei told me and Tami to stay here and protect you."

"Really…?" Tazuna asks, and I feel how he doubts Sakura's abilities. I smirk and say,

"Don't worry, Mr. Tazuna. Sakura's as useless as a wheel without an axle, but I'm certainly not." He looks at me and nods, looking a little more reassured. Sakura glares at me hard and says,

"Is it your GOAL to make me look bad?"

"Trust me, you take care of that on your own," I retort, turning back to my work. Tazuna walks closer and sets a piece of wood by me.

"Tazuna." He turns and I look over my shoulder. One of the workers – Giichi – is standing there, looking less than pleased. In fact, he's worried and a bit guilty.

"What's wrong, Giichi?" Tazuna asks.

"I've been thinking it over…this bridge we're working on…I want off the job." Ouch.

"Wh-why? Out of nowhere like this…You of all people!" Tazuna says, disappointed.

"Tazuna, we go back a long way. I want to help you, but we can't take this risk. Gato will take out a contract on us if we don't stop!" I snort. "And if you die, it won't just be this one project. We could all lose everything! Please, just give it up. This bridge isn't worth it." What a pansy.

"…I can't do that," Tazuna replies. If nothing else, Tazuna has to be given points for determination.

"But we're talking about lives here! Your life!" Giichi cries.

"It's afternoon now already, isn't it? Let's call it a day." He walks away from Giichi a bit, then stops. "Giichi…you don't have to come back." Sakura stands and the three of us head back. I walk behind the other two and Sakura makes a face.

"You stink," she says.

"Thanks for noticing," I reply. I look down at my hands – three splinters, two in my left hand and one in my right. I've got two in my right arm and one in my leg from carrying and rubbing past unsanded lumber.

"My daughter asked me to up some things for our lunch on the way home," Tazuna says and leads us down the street. We reach the grocery and I'm stunned to see so little in it. I know this island is small, but surely they could cultivate more produce than _this_. We buy a few things and take our leave. One man notices us and sets his sights on Sakura. I'm tempted to throw him a dangerous look and discourage anything he has in mind, but instead I wait and see what his motive is. Is he really a creeper, or is he after something else? He edges closer to her and I see how low his gaze is aimed. His hand inches forward, and at first it looks like he's definitely going for her ass, but then I realize he's going for her bag. However, his aim is a bit off and the second he touches her, her anger spikes. I side-step, moving out of the way as she whirls around and roundhouses him in the face.

"PERVERT!" she shrieks. He goes flying and I stifle my laughter.

"Well, too bad all our enemies can't be creepers," I say. "You'd be able to take them all on."

"Why didn't you stop him?" she roars.

"Because I wanted to see what he was after. It wasn't your pathetic excuse for an ass, Sakura, it was your bag," I say.

"My bag? Really?" she asks, looking surprised. I nod.

"He just missed."

"Well, that was interesting," Tazuna says.

"What is with this town?" Sakura asks. A little kid comes running up behind her and grabs onto her dress, right over her ass again. She whips around, but softens when she's sees his little face. He holds his hands up to her and she digs in her bag, pulling out a few pieces of candy and dropping them in his hands. His face lights up like she'd given him something insanely incredible and runs off.

"Damn," I mutter. "He acts like you gave him candy made of gold or something."

"I know," she replies, looking melancholy.

"It's been like this since Gato moved in," Tazuna says behind us, watching the boy run off. "We've become a city of slackers, cowards, and fools! That's why the bridge we're building is so essential!" We start off again, Sakura and I listening to his every word. "It'll be an emblem of courage. Maybe the people who've taken the path of least resistance will be willing to walk the road of courage and dignity again. If we can only complete it…I truly believe that our city and our people can be what the once were again." We get back to the house and Tsunami gets to preparing lunch. I manage to get in a bath before lunch and when I walk into the kitchen Tsunami says,

"Tami-chan, will you please step outside and tell the boys to come in?" I nod and walk out back. They're still going at it and I look at the scratches lining the trunks. They've improved a little, but hardly enough to be called true progress. I walk closer and say,

"You know, at this rate you guys will chop down the damn trees before you reach the top." They turn and look at me.

"Hey Tami! Where've you been?" Naruto asks, giving me that big grin of his.

"Out," I reply. "Tsunami says lunch is ready, so you two need to take a breather and come eat." They stick their kunais in their pouches and follow me back to the house. We sit down at the table and I put weight on one of my splinters. I wince and get back up, heading for our bedroom instead. I dig in my bag and pull out my tweezers, then walk into the bathroom. Flipping on the light, I put the tip of the tweezers to the first splinter. It's pretty deep now, and I chastise myself for not pulling it earlier. I grip the end and start sliding it out, but it's got a hold of my skin and refuses to come out. I groan, rolling my eyes, and pull out a kunai knife.

"What are you doing?" I jump and look up at the door. Sasuke's standing there.

"Pulling splinters, want to help?" I ask sarcastically, holding the knife and my hand out to him for a split second before studying them again. I press the tip to my hand and gently cut open the top layer of skin, just enough for half the splinter to be revealed. I then pull it out with the tweezers and throw the wood in the trash. Sasuke leans against the doorframe.

"How'd you get splinters?"

"I was helping with the construction this morning," I reply, starting on the next. It comes out much more easily, and I switch hands.

"Did Sakura help as well?" he asks.

"Pft, of course not." Another splinter down and I pull the two out of my arms.

"Sasuke! Tami!" Sakura calls.

"Coming!" I reply. I quickly pull out the last one, but it too had been deep and a drop of blood escapes. "Damn it." I turn the water on and wash it off, then the two of us walk back to the table. Tsunami's already set the table and Sasuke and I take the two empty seats.

"Where were you?" Kakashi asks.

"Pulling splinters," I reply. "Sasuke thought it'd be fun to come and watch me do it because he's a sadistic little-"

"Language," Kakashi warns and I simply grin.

"Boy, this is real fun! I can't remember the last time I shared a meal with so many people!" Tazuna says brightly. Immediately, the boys start scarfing down their food and Sakura gapes at them. I watch them eagerly; they're probably having some moronic, unspoken eating contest and if they keep this going they'll puke up their lunch and then some. They finish at the same time and say,

"More, please." They glare at one another, and I feel the upchuck creeping up their throats. Sure enough, they turn and puke up everything they'd just eaten, and I just about die laughing.

"Stop eating if you're just going to puke it back up!" Sakura screams, and I say,

"Oh n-no, please, d-do that again! I love watching you two suffer from doing stupid stuff!" I burst into another fit of laughter. "Are you two really so belligerent that you have to compete at everything, including who eats lunch faster?" I stand and grab their bowls, taking them to the kitchen. "I'll get you seconds if you two promise not to throw up on Miss Tsunami's floor again." I snicker as I refill their bowls and when I take them back the two of them are quickly wiping up the mess. I set their dishes in their places then I finish eating. I clear the table and as I'm washing the dishes I hear Sakura say,

"Um…why is this picture torn? Little Inari was looking at it the whole time we were having dinner. Someone's face is completely gone. Is that deliberate?" I feel a serious drop in the mood of the family, especially in Inari. His moods are never particularly pleasant, but anger and grief well up in his chest. Tsunami hesitates before she replies,

"It was a picture of Inari's father."

"Once upon a time, if you will, our entire city called him a hero," Tazuna says. A bit of pride wells up in his chest, but Inari's mood just sinks even lower. I hear a chair move and Tsunami says,

"Inari! Where are you going?" Footsteps pad away from the table and I hear a door slam. "Inari! Father! I've told you time and again not to mention that in front of my son!" She too leaves the room and for a moment everything's quiet. Way to go, Sakura. Tazuna launches into the story of Kaiza, Inari's adopted father. They'd met after Inari had almost drowned, and from then on Kaiza had been like a member of Tazuna's family. Kaiza had also become a vital member of the town and its morale. However, when he stood up to Gato, that bastard had Kaiza executed in front of the entire village, including Inari. The six of us are silent for a long moment, then I hear another chair move, shortly followed by a loud thump.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asks.

"Don't even think about training any more today. If you try to work your chakras without getting some rest first, it would probably kill you." I roll my eyes. What a moron.

"I'm going to prove to him that he's wrong!" Naruto says.

"Prove what? To whom?" Sakura asks.

"I'm going to show Inari that there are still heroes in the world!" Naruto insists, and he leaves the house despite Kakashi's warnings. I sigh and say,

"Should we go after him, Sensei, or just settle with planning the funeral?"

"…Funeral sounds good," Kakashi says, running a hand through his hair.

A few days pass and I barely see Naruto at all. He spends all his time training now. On the sixth day, I decide to sit outside and watch Sasuke train. He still hasn't gotten it down, which is surprising. He's usually pretty quick on the uptake. Sakura goes with Tazuna to the bridge again, and though Tazuna had made it clear he wanted me to join them, I passed all responsibility to Sakura. After half an hour of watching him go forty feet up and stop, I groan and say,

"That's it." He stops and turns to me.

"What?" he asks.

"You're supposed to be the smart one, Sasuke. It's painful to watch you suck," I reply, smirking. I draw a kunai knife from my back pocket and look up the tree. I double the length Sasuke's covered and throw my knife up, the front half getting stuck in the wood. "You're going up at least that far this time, and I'm going to teach you how."

"I didn't ask for your help," he growls.

"No, you didn't, and that's your first problem," I reply. "I've been doing this shit for two years. The first thing you should have done when you realized that you couldn't get it is ask me. Now that we've separated you from your second problem, we can probably get you to do this right on the first try."

"What's my second problem?" he asks, his jaw clenched.

"Naruto. Your stupid little catfight has stopped both of you from doing your best, because you can't concentrate. Shut your eyes." He rolls his eyes, but does as he's told. "Block out everything but the sound of my voice. Focus on me, and me alone."

"A little self-centered, are we?" he asks, smirking, and I say,

"Quit being an ass. You're not focusing." He sighs and I feel him truly start concentrating on me. "Good. Visualize the tree. Think of how hard or soft the trunk of it is. You know how it feels under your feet, you know the force you need to exert to slice through it." I give him a moment to get a sense of what I'm describing. "Now concentrate and center your chakra to the soles of your feet. Imagine that the soles of your shoes need to be coated in a layer of paint, but it can't be so thin you can see through it and it can't be so thick it won't dry." I give him a second, then say, "Open your eyes." He does and looks at me. "Relaxed?" He nods. "Ready?" He nods again and faces the tree. "Walk, don't run."

"What?" he asks, gaping at me.

"You heard me. Walk up the trunk. It's harder to maintain the flow for a longer period of time, but you need to get this down. So just walk." He groans and I smile. "You can do it, Sasuke." His onyx eyes dart to me again, surprised, and he takes another deep, soothing breath. He starts for the trunk, keeping his steps even and slow. He hits the trunk and, thankfully, goes up. He's adhering to the wood perfectly, and continues to do so all the way to my kunai knife. He yanks it out and I yell, "Good, now walk it down." He turns and gracefully strolls all the way back down, with not even a shadow of a doubt in his mind. He hits the ground and I take my knife from him. "There. Told you."

"Shut up," he says, but his lips curve into a victorious smile. I flip my kunai in my hands and say,

"Race me to the top?" He arches a dark eyebrow at me, smirking, and I say, "I'll take that as a yes. On your mark, get set, GO!" We immediately dart toward the trees and pick two right next to each other. We're neck-and-neck the entire time, but I don't even feel the slightest competitive urge in Sasuke; he's just having fun. We reach the top at the same time and I say, "Not bad, Uchiha. Isn't it great to not suck?" He rolls his eyes again, but the smirk is stuck to his face.

"Sasuke! Tami!" We look down and see Kakashi at the base of our trees. We run back down and land next to him.

"Yeeees, Sensei?" I ask.

"Well, it's good to see Sasuke finally getting it," Kakashi says. "Good job, Tami."

"What can I say? I'm a team player," I say and Sasuke snorts. "Shut your hole, Uchiha."

"Never opened my mouth, did I?" he asks and I throw him an exasperated look.

"Is this any way to treat the person who helped your sorry ass?"

"I'd have gotten it on my own eventually," he replies.

"Oh, really?" I ask sweetly. "When? Next year?" He opens his mouth to fire back a retort, but Kakashi stops us.

"Alright, enough flirting. Sasuke, go find Naruto. Make sure he's not dead."

"And if he is, just drag his ass back," I add.

"Tami, since Sasuke no longer needs your help, I'd like you to go to the bridge and help Sakura protect Tazuna," Kakashi says.

"Yeah, I bet the guys at the construction site are just dying to see me," I say, grinning.

"Do I even want to know _why_?" Sasuke asks, smirking, and I swing my arm out, slapping him up the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Okay, go!" Kakashi says, rolling his eye. Sasuke and I go our separate ways, but the entire time I'm walking to the bridge I can't wipe the grin off my face.

The day passes and I wake up the next day earlier than the others, and the sun has just barely risen above the horizon. I grab a towel from Tsunami's linen closet and leave the house, going back to the shoreline. I thought to bring a pair of shorts with me this time and change into my makeshift bathing suit before wading in. The water's a bit colder now, sending goosebumps up my arms, but it's the refreshing kind of cold. I'd had another nightmare last night. The same one…it's always the same… I'm there for at least two hours before I decide to head back. The sun's completely up now, so I'm guessing it's nearly eight. Upon my return, I find Naruto and Sasuke back at work. Sasuke's doing just fine and is having no problems hanging upside down off the branches. Naruto seems to be doing really well, too, and when he sees me coming he screams,

"Tami, look! I can do it!"

"I can see that," I call in response. I set my wet clothes and towel by the house then skip up the trunk of Naruto's tree.

"Show off," Sasuke says and I grin.

"Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me, Sasuke!"

"Wow, Tami! You can skip up the tree? You must have really good chakra control!" Naruto says. I smile and pat him on the head.

"You're so sweet, Naruto. I've also had years of practice."

"Where were you, anyway?" he asks.

"Swimming," I reply.

"How come?"

"Helps me relax." I sit on the branch next to him and stare out across the town.

"Is that where you went the other day?" he asks.

"Yep."

"Are you a good swimmer?" he asks and I smirk.

"Nope, I suck, I just do it because I like flailing in the water like a moron. _Yes_, Naruto, I'm a pretty good swimmer. You ask a lot of questions. Shouldn't you be training?"

"Right!" He hops up and starts going again. I stand and walk back down to ground level. "Hey! Where you going?" he shouts.

"Back to the bridge!" I call in reply, waving at them as I leave.

"Okay! BYE TAMI!" Naruto yells, grinning. I pass the day on the bridge again and I'm pleased to see how close it is to completion. It seems like every day that goes by, though, fewer workers show up for their shifts, and this worries me. Come on, they're really going to wuss out now? At nightfall we return to the house, and Sasuke shows up about an hour later with Naruto hanging off his shoulder.

"So, you're finally back! Looking like something the cat dragged in!" Tazuna says.

"Heh…both of us…" Naruto starts, but he's too worn out to finish his sentence.

"I told you if you didn't take a break you'd wear yourself out, you dope. We both made it to the top of the tree."

"About time," I say, smirking. I cross the room to them and wrap Naruto's other arm around my shoulder, helping Sasuke guide the blonde to the table.

"Good! Naruto, Sasuke, starting tomorrow, you two can help the girls protect Mr. Tazuna."

"Yes, Sir!" Naruto says triumphantly. He collapses at the table and I head into the kitchen to check on dinner. I don't know why I'm being so hostess-y; maybe it's from taking care of my brothers for years. I just automatically do housework. I feel a sudden surge of rage and Inari suddenly bursts,

"Why do you wear yourself out trying? No matter how hard you train, you'll never be a match for Gato's thugs! You act all cool, and you talk all tough, but big, strong guys like that are always too much for people weaker than they are. They'll destroy you!" Boy, what a motivational speaker that kid is. Of course, Naruto doesn't take his anger gently.

"Shut up! I'm not you, and I'm not going to lose!"

"Just watching you ticks me off! You go running your mouth when you don't know a thing! This isn't even your town! And you don't know a thing about me! You're always clowning around and having fun. You don't know a thing about suffering or loneliness or what my life is like!" This strikes a nerve like a hammer within Naruto and he replies, in a cold tone,

"So…you figure it's noble to star in a melodrama and treat everyone around you like guests at your pity party?" Uh oh. "It takes a really big man to sit around and cry…you brat!" I wince as the waves of anger and pain roll off Naruto. He stands and walks out, with Sakura shouting after him,

"Naruto! You went too far!"

"Hmph!" is all she gets in return. Inari leaves soon afterwards, going and sitting on the dock outside. We eat dinner in awkward silence, then I head outdoors. I walk up one of the trees and sit down on one of the highest branches, staring off into the moonlit night. For a few minutes, I'm alone, then…

"Boy, you just can't leave me alone, can you?" I ask sarcastically. He sits down next to me and says,

"Don't flatter yourself. It's just really awkward in that house now."

"I know. Tension's so thick I could cut it with a knife." He nods and we lapse into silence. It remains for a few minutes, then he says,

"How much longer do you think we have?"

"What, _alone_?" I ask with a flirty glance. He rolls his eyes.

"No…until Zabuza comes after us."

"I don't know," I reply, frowning. "Probably not long. Kakashi's well again, so he probably is too. And we not only have to worry about him – something tells me that masked kid will be on his side next time. They'll divide the team, and to be honest I'm a little worried about how well we'll hold up. Climbing trees is one thing – being in the heat of battle is another entirely." I look at him. "You're ready for it, right?"

"Don't be stupid. Of course I am," he replies. I nod.

"I hope so. I'm going to need your emotional stability, Sasuke, if Kakashi flips out on me again. I can't handle everyone being a chaotic mess." He nods.

"…What about you?" I look back up at him.

"What do you mean?" He stares into my eyes, as if trying to read _my_ mind.

"You're hiding something from us. It's what's giving you nightmares." I run my fingers through my hair roughly, averting my gaze.

"It's nothing that'll affect my ability to focus, so there's no reason to discuss it."

"Hn. Why is it you get to know everything about us from one touch, but we're not allowed to know anything about you?" I smile.

"You're just not that fortunate."

We wake up the next morning and I immediately sense a new tension within the house. It's taken us a week to recover and prepare for what lies ahead…After such a long time, I can't shake the notion that today we'll be faced with what we've trained for. I know that I might simply be paranoid, now that I'm to be rejoined by the rest of my squad and we're going to tackle the mission as a single entity again, but the looming possibility of Zabuza showing up seems to have grown stronger overnight somehow. I'm awake before Sakura and once I'm dressed I leave the room silently. I could use some meditation before we head out, because I know everyone's going to be a bundle of nerves today, and with tension running high, a single live wire could be enough to set me off. I walk to the back dock and, surprisingly, find a shirt, headband, towel, and pair of shoes lying there. Who the hell-? I shrug it off and sit down, resting my forearms on my knees and straightening my back. I shut my eyes and take a deep, slow breath. I smell salt…fish…

I take another deep breath and the aroma becomes more deeply ingrained in my senses. I slowly relax the muscles in my neck, working down into my shoulders and back. After a few more minutes, my entire body feels weightless and my mind is blank. I can still hear and smell everything, but it's not conscious awareness. I'm in silence for about twenty minutes, then I become aware of rushing water as something moves through it. The sound is soothing, but who's doing that? It becomes steadily louder and when it's right beside me it stops. I pull myself out of my trance-like state and open my eyes just as Sasuke plants his hands on the dock and pulls himself up. _Damn_, he's good looking. Once he's on his feet he wrings water from his spiky hair and brushes away a few drops as they run down his face. He stoops to grab his towel and that's when he notices I'm there. I smirk.

"Mooorning," I say sing-song like. He arches an eyebrow at me and smirks in return.

"That's a little stalker-like of you, Tami." I snort.

"Don't flatter yourself, Uchiha. I was too busy meditating to be doing anything _Sakura_-like. Just be glad she's not awake yet. Going to dry off, or do you enjoy flaunting your soaking wet, muscled frame?" He quickly rubs his hair with the towel in his hands, then moves down to his arms.

"Meditating, huh? What does that do?"

"Helps keep me level," I reply. "Makes it harder to tip my emotional scales. I figured I'd need it for today." He eyes me as he runs the towel down his chest.

"He might not even strike today, though. Just being precautious?" I frown a bit.

"…Something tells me it's going to be now. He's going to want to get us when we're still weak, and he'll probably assume the sooner he hits, the better, because he'll think _we're_ still recovering." He nods, sitting next to me and swinging his legs off the dock. I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"What?" he asks.

"I'm getting a really bad vibe. Something really bad is going to happen, I know it. Whether it's in our favor or not, I don't know, but it's just…bad."

"Can you just sense when bad things are going to happen?" he asks, staring at me in earnest curiosity.

"Sometimes. It's probably flashes of the next stage," I reply, rubbing my temples.

"What's the next stage?" he asks.

"Precognition. I'll be able to see bits and pieces of the future. Not much, and it's really sporadic – it'll be the one stage that I can't control – but it'll hopefully be useful." He nods and the door behind us slides open. Sakura's standing there and immediately her eyes dart to Sasuke – shirtless, dripping wet, completely drool-worthy – then to me, sitting comfortably three feet away. Her jealousy immediately gets riled up and she says,

"What're you two talking about out here?"

"What we're expecting today," I reply, giving her a not-too-friendly look.

"What do you mean?" she asks. I stand.

"It means put on your big girl panties, Sakura. We're probably going to have to kick a lot of ass today." I then walk past her into the house, smirking at how hard Sasuke has to work to refrain from laughing.

We take our leave thirty minutes later, and from the moment we step past the door the ominous feeling hits me hard. I actually stop as a cold shudder passes through me. The others stop and look at me.

"Tami?" Sakura says, showing a little genuine concern for me. I open my mouth to say something in return, but it feels like someone dried it with a cotton cloth. Kakashi eyes me carefully – I know I've gone pale.

"Perhaps you should stay here as well," he suggests, but I shake my head.

"No. One person staying behind is enough – two people staying is an unnecessary risk. I'm fine." I fall into step behind them as we press on, but as we get farther from the house I feel more and more wary. Sure enough, when we reach the bridge I feel agonizing pain sprout from my abdomen. I gasp and my knees buckle as it overwhelms me. They turn back to me, but I say, "G-go, quick, they need you more than I do!" They immediately spin around and hurry forward. I hear Tazuna cry,

"Wh-what the hell-?" and I can only imagine the carnage ahead. As guilty as I feel for it, I only wish that they'd fade into black faster. The wound is deep, and who knows how long he's been here? He's not going to make it and sure enough his vision fades soon after. I take a deep breath and hurry to catch up with them. The mist immediately descends on us and I swallow hard. Sasuke's at my immediate right and I breathe,

"Told you so." We all tense up, readying ourselves for when they show up. It'd have been smarter to leave Tazuna home and just come by ourselves…

"Kakashi-Sensei, is this-? The man we met…His "Hiding in the Mist" technique, isn't it?" Sakura says, feeling jittery. Kakashi doesn't reply. Then, Zabuza's voice emerges from the mist,

"Been awhile, Kakashi…"

"Not long enough," I mutter.

"And I see you've got those brats tagging along, just like last time. And the little boy is trembling again, poor thing…" But I'm relieved to feel it's not fear causing Sasuke's quaking; it's adrenaline. He's ready this time. The water clones have us surrounded before I can blink, and beside me I hear Sasuke say,

"I'm shaking with eagerness for a rematch!" Kakashi feels a small surge of pride and says,

"Go ahead, Sasuke!" He darts forward and in two seconds, the dozen or so water clones are puddles on the floor. I smirk.

"Well done, ass."

"Well! My water doppelgangers were no match for you! It seems the brats have matured quite a bit…into worthy rivals, eh, Haku?"

"Indeed!" It's that boy's voice. I turn and there he is, right at Zabuza's side. I clench my teeth in anger, for he still has that mask on. Hippocratic little bastard.

"Sensei, sometimes I hate it when you're right," I say.

"So, you suspected this all along, did you, Kakashi," Zabuza asks mockingly.

"Only because you made it easy," Kakashi retorts. "Seems our mysterious masked friend is playing on Zabuza's team."

"He has nerve, showing up like this!" Sakura snaps and I roll my eyes.

"Oh yes, strike _fear_ into his heart, Sakura." She whips around to throw me a glare.

"Ahh, the one with the sassy mouth," Zabuza hisses, throwing me a particularly nasty glare. "I have you to thank for breaking my nose."

"You're welcome," I retort. Zabuza eyes me for a moment, then says,

"I'll leave her to you, Haku."

"Very well," he replies softly, focusing on me.

"Sorry, but I think Sasuke's called dibs already," I reply, looking at him. He returns the stare. "Right?" He nods curtly and turns back to Haku.

"That was some show you put on before, but now we're on to you, and I hate ham actors!" he says and I feel him get ready to move; the muscles in his feet and legs tense up, as does the grip on his kunai knife. I know Kakashi wants someone _useful_ protecting Tazuna, so I'll stay back until I see fit.

"Impressive kid, isn't he?"

"Yes…even if your water doppelgangers have only one-tenth the strength of the original, it's amazing he was able to do so well."

"But we're still on the offensive. You can get to the smart aleck later," Zabuza reminds him. "Go!"

"Yes Sir." He disappears in a whirlwind and Sasuke shifts forward a bit. Haku skids to a stop right before him and swings a weapon toward him, but Sasuke blocks, hitting his attack off course. I place a hand on Tazuna's chest and walk him a few paces back.

"We need to stay back," I say softly. "It's going to become extremely dangerous soon."

"It's been dangerous the whole time," he retorts.

"Not like this. Last time it was one and one for the most part, Kakashi and Zabuza. Sasuke and Naruto got in their hits, but it was mostly Kakashi who took him down. Last time Haku wasn't on Zabuza's side, and our team wasn't divided between opponents. Not only that, but with our training, we're much stronger, meaning we're capable of a lot more. Instead of two lethal fighters, like last time, we're now dealing with between four and six."

"…I see," he says. "Why is there a question on how many?"

"It depends on if Naruto shows up and if I'm forced to jump in to help," I reply. "My priority is you; you're the target, and if someone slips up or Zabuza sends a doppelganger our way, you'll need protection." He nods and Sakura steps to my side. "It's just you and me," I mutter to her, throwing her a glance. She meets it and nods. Sasuke and Haku go at each other for a few minutes, and I'm impressed; Sasuke's doing incredibly well. I know he hasn't triggered the Sharingan yet, but it makes me wonder if it can be activated in the middle of a fight, without conscious thought of it. They get locked, knife against senbon, and neither of them are willing to yield.

"I don't want to have to kill you, but…you probably won't leave quietly, will you?" Haku asks.

"Don't be stupid," Sasuke replies.

"Just as I thought. However, you won't be able to match my speed for long…and I've laid the groundwork for two attacks."

"Two attacks?" Sasuke asks.

"Firstly, there's water splashed all around us. Secondly, I've trapped one of your hands with parrying this move…which leaves you only one free hand to defend yourself from my attacks!" He raises his hand and, stunningly, begins making handseals. Incredible! It's extremely difficult to make seals with only one hand that channel the proper amount of chakra to your jutsu – for him to have mastered it at so young an age…He stops and stomps the ground. Water springs up and I watch as they morph into thousands of thin needles, positioning themselves above the two fighters. Sakura gasps, but I watch earnestly. Let's see if Sasuke's training paid off…He raises his free hand and I see his eyes shut in concentration. The needles start their descent and my breath catches in my throat, but Sasuke springs into the air and dodges them brilliantly. I smile and Sakura sees it.

"What?"

"Watch," I reply and she does so. Shuriken drop on Haku and he dodges them all gracefully, skidding to a stop, but my lips split into a grin when I see Sasuke's figure appear behind him.

"You're not that fast." Haku is amazed and stands up fully. "Now you're the one who has to worry about defending yourself from my attacks." Sasuke swings his arm, aiming to hit Haku with the back of his hand, but Haku raises his arm to block. He doesn't notice the knife in Sasuke's hand, and when he does he ducks, only for Sasuke to rotate on his heel and drive his foot into Haku's face. Sakura utters a small squeal of happiness and I roll my eyes. Haku skids to a stop near Zabuza, and I feel their disbelief. "You're fast. I'm faster," Sasuke says.

"Wiped the smirk off Zabuza's face, that's for sure," I mutter and Sakura giggles. Zabuza's eyes flicker to me and he says,

"Time to change up your strategy, Haku." Without even glancing at me, Haku stands and says,

"Yes Sir." He eyes Sasuke and starts running for him, confusing me. Did he not understand Zabuza's orders? Sasuke gets ready, but just as he comes in reach, Haku jumps, going right over Sasuke's head. He bypasses the others and dives immediately for me. I give Tazuna a hard shove, pushing him farther from me.

"Back up," is all I say to the other two and I quickly pull a kunai knife. Sasuke's right – he's fast. Haku's hand comes forward, a senbon in his grip, and I feign a defense. He falls for it and drives his needle forward. I twist, but it goes straight into my arm. I wince and Sakura shrieks,

"Tami!" Haku moves to pull his hand back, but I catch his wrist in a vice grip.

"Unfortunately for you, it'll take more than speed to fuck me over," I growl and put my other hand on his exposed skin. Memories flood my head. His mother passed a kekkei-genkai that frightened the others in his village to him; they killed his mother, and Haku accidentally killed them all in self-defense. Zabuza found him and raised him to be a killer. He'd been a sweet kid; he'd just been found by the wrong person. I quickly get a lock on his mental signature and when he drives his free hand up to hit me, I duck, releasing his hand to catch myself. I sweep kick him, catching him around the ankles, and he falls to the ground. I still have a hold on his wrist, using my foot to hold him down, and I grin. "Oh, and guess what? You're not the only one who can do this." I raise my free hand and start making one-handed seals, feeling the awe that arises from my squad mates.

I concentrate hard; I've never tried this one before, because I'd never had anyone to try it on. It completely paralyzes an enemy for as long as I have a hold on them. I don't know how long it'll stay, but if we can kill Zabuza before they have a chance to break my hold, we'll be fine. I reach for his face to complete the jutsu, but Zabuza's at my side before I can blink. "Oh sh-" He swings his leg up and catches me in the side, sending me flying over the bridge railing and into the fucking water. I quickly swim to the surface, coughing as my nose burns. What the fuck kind of _cover_ was that? Sakura couldn't even bother to MOVE to block me? Or SAY SOMETHING? I can't do more than one thing, especially not something like that!

"Oh, Tami! Are you alright?" Sakura screams.

"Like you fucking care!" I yell back, quickly swimming back to the bridge. I grab one of the pillars and walk back up to the top, wringing off as much water as I can. Now I'm probably the most susceptible to their attacks, since I'm soaked in their primary weapon. Son of a bitch! I'd had him! I could have had that masked bastard rendered completely useless if I'd had just a second more! Once I'm back on dry land, I'm engulfed in a wave of cold air and I shiver.

"Tami! Are you okay?" Sakura asks again and I glare at her dangerously.

"No, I'm not fucking okay! You couldn't have given me any kind of protection? If I'd had a hold of him for one more second, I'd have paralyzed him! He'd have been completely useless, and once Kakashi-Sensei had taken down Zabuza, we'd have won!" I shiver again and look in Sasuke's direction, only for my jaw to drop. He's entrapped in a circle of what look like mirrors. Haku approaches them and when he reaches the nearest one he phases right into it. How in the HELL-? Kakashi darts for them, but Zabuza blocks him.

"Let's not forget – I'm your enemy!" he snarls, and I sneer,

"Oh yeah, suuure! Sensei can't have more than one target, but you can! Bastard!" He throws me an ugly look and says,

"I'll make sure to kill you before the day is out."

"Yeah, looking forward to it! Third time's the charm, after all!" I snap.

"Tami, that's enough," Kakashi says, not unkindly, and I stop. I rub my side gingerly and pain radiates from where he'd dealt the blow. _Ouch._ My eyes go back to Sasuke, who's looking around wildly and trying to figure out a plan.

"Now that it's all in place…let me show you some real speed!" Haku says. He raises a weapon and I feel something slice through Sasuke's arm. A moment later, he's barraged by dozens of senbon, attacking him from all directions. I hear him scream in pain and wince as I feel it.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi yells, fear swelling up in his chest. Sakura also starts panicking and she yells for Sasuke. He doesn't even seem to hear her.

"Mr. Tazuna, I'm sorry…But I'm going to have to leave you for just a little bit." I groan. And leave me stuck here?

"Go ahead. I'll be fine," he says and she hurries off. I wince as I continue to feel the needles slice through Sasuke's skin and he notices. "That kick from earlier still hurting?"

"I can feel Sasuke's pain," I reply. "I can feel everyone's pain."

"Y-you can?" he asks, feeling immediately sympathetic. I nod.

"I'm empathic. I can feel emotions, pain, heart beats…anything you feel, I feel."

"…Must suck at times like this, huh?" he asks. I wince again, my arms wrapping around myself in reflex. Gritting my teeth against it, I say,

"You can say that again." I feel another pain – against the side of my face – and return my attention to the mirrors. There's an enormous gust and I sense the presence of an eighth person. So, he's shown up at last.

"Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!" the blonde yells and I roll my eyes. Greeeat. "Here I am, to save the day. You know how the story goes. Things look bleak, then the hero shows up, and POW! Bye bye, bad guys!"

"Quit posturing and MOVE YOUR ASS!" I bark. He turns to look at me and grins.

"Oh, hey, Tami! Wow, you're a mess!" Zabuza takes advantage of his distraction and tosses a handful of shuriken at Naruto. He raises his kunai to block them, but senbon dart from the ice enclosure and knock them to the floor before they hit Naruto. I turn to Haku and Zabuza says,

"Haku…what are you doing?"

"Zabuza, sir…please let me have this boy. I want to fight him in my own way."

"So, you want me to keep my hands off him, eh, Haku? How charmingly naïve you are…as usual." I take a small breath. At least if Naruto's here, something can be done from the outside of the – Wait a second, how did Naruto get _in_ the ice enclosure? Damn it! He says something to Sasuke, whose anger and disbelief goes through to roof, not that I blame him. Haku merges back with the mirrors and starts his assault all over again. Sasuke gets to his feet and quickly makes a series of seals, then puts his hand to his mouth. Fire fills the enclosure, but the ice isn't affected in the slightest. What the HELL? Its ice, isn't it? Fire melts ice, it's a law of nature! Haku isn't at all fazed and barrages the boys with needles again. I feel their pain, now doubled, and I'm brought to one knee by it. The wounds feel extensive, but they're really not. They can last for a lot longer without dying, but I'd rather not run that risk.

Naruto does his signature doppelganger move, but that too is all but useless against Haku. He destroys them all without missing a beat. Haku says something and Kakashi suddenly understands what jutsu Haku's using: his kekkei-genkai. The Sharingan can't copy it since it's genetic, but I know there's more to the mirror-wheel eye than simply copying. If Sasuke could only see what Haku was doing, and break down his movements, he could even the odds a little more. If he could simply access his eyes…

"Sakura, I'm going to see if they can use me, alright? Stay here, and don't fucking move." I don't listen for a reply, I just run toward them. I don't get closer than twenty feet though when Sasuke yells,

"DON'T!" I skid to a stop and say,

"I'm not coming in there, you ass, I'm not THAT stupid! But do you need me?"

"No," he replies. "Get back and help Sakura protect the bridge builder!"

"I mean my talent, Sasuke. Is there anything I can do to help you _that_ way?"

"…I know that's what you meant…but I don't think so, no," he says, meeting my gaze. "Did you get anything earlier?"

"Just memories," I reply.

"What are you talking about?" Haku asks. I look up at his many reflections.

"I know what happened to you," I reply. "I know about your kekkei-genkai, about your mother – how your father betrayed you both and led a mob attack on you, and I know how you came to be under Zabuza's guidance. Haku, you don't have to do this. Deep down, you know this is wrong. You don't like hurting people, really, you only do it because Zabuza tells you to."

"True, I don't like hurting people. But I'll do what I must to protect Zabuza."

"Why? Why do you protect someone who would willingly toss you aside to save himself? Or if you were beaten? Why would you do something so-" A hand grabs onto me from behind, latching around my neck and pulling me off my feet. The blade of a sword is placed to my neck and Zabuza hisses,

"Told you I'd get you by the day's end." I swallow and say,

"Day's not over yet, you've got a few more hours to fuck up." He presses harder and I move as far away from it as I can.

"TAMI!" Naruto screams and both boys shoot to their feet, racing toward me. Haku stops them, however, with another onslaught of needles. I brace myself for a rather pathetic death, but the next second Zabuza's gone and I fall to the ground. I turn to see Kakashi.

"Get back to Tazuna, Tami. The boys can handle themselves. Have faith in them." I sigh hard.

"You sure?" He nods and I stand. "Yes Sir." I then hurry back to Sakura's side.

"Tami, are you insane? He could have slit your throat!" she says.

"Not really. Sensei had my back," I reply. But I can feel myself getting a little weak; everyone's emotions running high, all the pain, the wound to my arm…not to mention a new, fierce headache…

"Sasuke! Naruto! Don't you dare lose to a person like him!" Sakura screams, but Kakashi says,

"Sakura, don't encourage them! Even if we knew a way to counter his technique, the boys still wouldn't be up to the task of defeating that boy."

"Wh-what do you mean?" I take a deep breath.

"They haven't hardened themselves enough to kill someone. Might sound easy in theory, but…it's not easy in practice." Zabuza eyes me and I stare back at him.

"Sounds like you've had experience." I don't answer him; my jaw clenches, as do my fists, as I fight down my memories. Sakura's interest is piqued, but she doesn't ask. Kakashi reaches for his headband, preparing to pull it up. _Here we go_. Zabuza dives forward, driving a knife toward Kakashi's eye, but Kakashi stops it with his free hand. He and Zabuza talk for a moment, and from what I can tell, it's about Haku. He's a genius, not only because of his kekkei-genkai, but also from natural intelligence. He's been bred to be a shinobi, and understands what it takes to win. He's prepared to kill; Sasuke and Naruto aren't. That worries me. The mist suddenly becomes much thicker, so much so that it completely obscures my vision. I can't see Sasuke and Naruto, or Kakashi and Zabuza…I can't even really make out Sakura, who's standing only five feet from me.

"Sakura, get closer to me," I say softly, sliding in her direction. "Mr. Tazuna, you too."

"Wh-where are you?" Sakura asks.

"Just keep shifting to your right until you hit my hand. Mr. Tazuna, move forward and I'll let you know when," I say. They do as I say and shuffle toward me. I hold out my hand and when Sakura hits my palm she stops. I stop Tazuna when he's within a foot of me. "Good. Now stay close. If my voice gets any farther away, you'll need to find me as fast as possible."

"Okay," Sakura says, her voice trembling. I hear the metallic _clangs_ of shuriken, and I can still feel Sasuke and Naruto's pain. I force myself to ignore them at the moment and zone in on Zabuza's mind. It's moving around so quickly it's hard to track, constantly encircling Kakashi. After a minute or two of this, he leaves Kakashi and for a moment he vanishes. I hurry to pinpoint his mind again, and find it's getting closer. It goes right by me, but stops while still nearby. Behind us - ! I turn and hurry past Tazuna, standing behind him. I can't see Zabuza, but I know he's there. He chuckles.

"Now…time to finally end you, brat." I stand my ground, readying myself for an attack. Zabuza draws his weapon and I hear footsteps from behind us. Someone suddenly skids to a stop in front of me. "Too late!" He brings his weapon down and Sakura screams. I quickly back up, pushing Sakura and Tazuna away from the two of them.

"Sensei, are you alright?" I ask.

"Nnh…fine." But he's not fine. The pain from the blow is almost crippling and I can hear his blood as it hits the ground. I suddenly feel something else; it's like there's pressure on my eyes, or like they're working harder than they were before. _What the hell could that be?_ Then I understand – Sasuke did it. He activated the Sharingan. I grin.

"Finally."

"What?" Kakashi asks.

"Sasuke's living up to his namesake," I reply.

"Ah…glad to hear it."

"You were slow on your guard, Kakashi. Your desire to save those brats caused the blood to rush to your head, obscuring your thoughts and vision as surely as the fog I've created does! I want to enjoy this, Kakashi…Paying back what you did to me would give me the greatest pleasure in the world! Haku should be finishing off those brats of yours about now…I'll be reuniting the rest of you with them shortly."

"Sasuke won't be easy for someone like that masked kid to defeat! Neither will Naruto!" Sakura says defiantly. I exhale slowly. Hopefully she's right.

"You're right. I have faith in them and in their strengths – Naruto's unpredictability, and Sasuke's one of the most worthy heirs to the most superior bloodline of Konoha-Gakure," Kakashi says.

"_One_ of the most superior," I correct sourly and he chuckles.

"You don't mean-" Zabuza starts.

"That's right. His full name is Uchiha Sasuke. He's a ninja genius who carries in his genes the kekkei-genkai of the Uchiha clan."

"He's the sole surviving member of that tragic clan, eh…" Zabuza says. I sigh.

"One of the two." Zabuza looks at me.

"Two?" I nod.

"Technically, there are still two Uchihas who are alive. But the other hasn't been seen for two years." Sakura stares at me, astounded. Kakashi also sighs.

"Yes, that's true."

"So, he may indeed be Haku's equal…no one has ever penetrated the secret of Haku's technique until now…no one…" Zabuza puts his hands together and disappears once more.

"He's gone again!" Sakura whines.

"Sakura, Tami, don't move an inch!" Kakashi says, springing off. I nod, readying myself, but I'm suddenly in excruciating pain. It feels like someone's slit my neck and shoved thousands of needles through my arms and legs. I utter a cry and pain and feel my knees go weak.

"Tami, you okay?" Sakura asks, but I'm in such awful pain that I can't answer. Oh no…The boys…I clutch my neck helplessly, wishing the pain would stop, but hoping that whoever's this beaten up is alright…Sakura places her hand on my shoulder, but it doesn't help. Suddenly, my vision goes black and I start falling backwards.


	8. Chapter 8

_Heeeey! Guess what? I don't own Naruto! Haha, or anybody else but Tami! Or the plotline, except for what I made up! Thanks for reading!_

**Chapter 8**

I wake a moment later to Sakura standing over me.

"Tami! Tami, oh gosh, are you alright? You just passed out! I –!" Oh my—_NO_! I spring up, pushing her out of the way before sprinting in the direction of their minds.

"SASUKE! NARUTO!" I scream, fear flooding my body. I only feel two active minds and search frantically for the third…_Come on…Where is he?_ _I can feel Haku, he's still alive, so that means-! _I skid to a stop as a violent, enormous surge of chakra erupts from the direction of the ice enclosure. Wha-? Whose chakra IS that? It's…_massive_! And nothing like I've ever felt before! Out of the fog I see a gigantic, red fox-looking creature emerge from the ice trap and I stare at it in awe. Is that…_Naruto's_ chakra? I stare at the enclosure for another moment or so, wondering if it's safe to venture within, when Haku is suddenly sent flying through one of the mirrors. I crumple to the ground, the pain of the blow is so devastating, but I quickly scramble back to my feet. He skids to a stop not far from me and I stare as Naruto comes running out after him. Only…it doesn't look like Naruto. His face is more primal, and evil. His canines have extended and his eyes are suddenly so dark…He runs toward Haku, but once he's within reach, he stops. His chakra dissipates as sorrow overwhelms him.

"You're…the kid I met in the woods…" I'm stunned. Haku met Naruto in the woods alone and didn't kill him?

"Why did you stop? I murdered your comrade, your beloved friend, and still you spare me?"

"So…S-so…" They then notice I'm standing there. "You…He…He's really-?" Naruto's eyes are clouded with pain and guilt and he quickly looks away from me. That's enough confirmation. I sink to my knees completely and bury my face in my hands. He's dead. Haku had killed him. This wasn't how it was supposed to be…As much as I hate that self-centered, cold-hearted ass, deep down I'd really wanted him to succeed. I'd wanted to see him rebuild his family and restore it to its former glory. His parents had been kind people, and he and Itachi were the first people to show me true kindness…

My headache suddenly pounds more fiercely than ever, as if my brain is trying to escape my head. It hurts so terribly it's making me nauseas…

"And now I've brought pain to another of your dear friends," Haku continues. Naruto hesitates, then slams his fist into Haku's face. The pain is nothing in comparison to my headache, but it certainly doesn't help matters. I sit there, my head in my hands, for what feels like an eternity. Haku and Naruto keep talking, but I don't hear a word that's being said. I just…sit there. My head is throbbing and mixed with my grief I start hoping that Zabuza really _will_ finish me off. I feel another spike in chakra from across the bridge and hope to all that's sacred that it's in our favor. I…I can't stand losing another teammate today. Naruto takes a running start at Haku, a kunai knife in his hands, and Haku just stands there. He's going to do it…But just as he gets close enough, Haku grabs his wrist and pushes the knife off course.

"I'm sorry, Naruto! I can't die yet!" He makes a few quick seals and vanishes. Naruto stands there, stunned, and I clamber to my feet.

"H-he can't beg you to kill him…and j-just fucking l-l-leave!" I snap, anger welling up and my eyes watering. Naruto turns to look at me and his face softens in sorrow and guilt.

"T-Tami…I…I'm so…s-sorry." I choke back a sob and say,

"It's n-not your f-fault, it's-" But before I finish, the worst pain I've experienced yet today hits me, right over my heart. I scream in pain; it feels like someone blew a hole through my chest. I quickly black out, falling to the ground, and this time no one catches me on the way down.

I wake a moment later to Naruto standing over me.

"Tami? Man, are you okay?"

"Haku…who did that?" I ask.

"…Kakashi-Sensei."

"He's dead, right?" I ask.

"Who?" Naruto asks as I sit up.

"Haku." Naruto hesitates, then nods. I see the image of them – Kakashi with his hand through Haku's chest, Zabuza being restrained by huge dogs – flash through Naruto's mind and I gasp. I put my hands to my head; my headache's gone. "N-Naruto, think of something."

"Uhh…okay." His mind immediately goes to ramen, and I hear his thoughts perfectly. That's… Terrible. I unlock my powers in stages, and it's usually some dramatic, life-altering occurrence that brings me to the next level…Which was it? Having to know Sasuke died? Having to feel Haku's death? A combination of both? I then turn my gaze to what's left of the ice mirrors. He's lying completely motionless within, and I still don't feel anything. "I'd get over to him before Sakura does," Naruto says softly. I nod and dart off. I skid to a stop next to him and collapse to my knees. I cover my mouth as I look at him. There are so many needles in him…in his legs, his arms, his _neck_…

"Sasuke…What did he do to you…?" I ask softly. I put a hand on his cheek gently. He's ice cold and his skin is deathly pale. Worse still is that I can't sense anything from him, even with contact. No thoughts, no emotions, no feelings of pain or the like…nothing. I swallow hard and slide my hand down to his neck, but know it'll be useless to search for a pulse, so I put my hand on his chest instead. However, I don't feel anything. I hear footsteps behind me, at running speed, and I know Sakura's catching up. My mind is racing with words of self-disgust and loathing. _What did I do? Why didn't I help? I let him die…_I feel sick and pull my arms to myself, shivering. _It's all my fault…How could I have done this to him? To Naruto? To everyone? I should have done something…I know Sasuke told me not to, to go help Sakura, but I never listen to him,_ _so why did I this time? Sakura didn't even end up needing my help, but they did…_

Sakura starts bawling, lying on Sasuke's chest, her tears soaking his shirt. It's disgraceful, but I don't say anything. I'm still lost in my own thoughts, blaming myself for what's happened. _How could I be so damn stupid? _I start thinking of all the things I've done, training myself to keep these things from happening, all those jutsus I studied-

_THAT'S IT!_ I push Sakura off roughly, muttering,

"Move," and put my hands on Sasuke's chest harder. She glares at me, tears still pouring from her eyes, some clinging to her eyelashes.

"W-what the heck are you d-d-doing? C-Can't you leave m-me al-lone for five m-m-minutes to grieve?" I glare at her and snap,

"Do you want me to try and save Sasuke or NOT?" She shuts up immediately and I focus. I've never actually performed this jutsu, and it's for level three users, but damn it, I have to at least TRY.

I start making hand seals, trying to visualize the page in the book I'd seen this jutsu on. I close my eyes, concentrating on the jutsu and blocking out unnecessary sight. _I __can't__ get this wrong…_

I finish my seals and place my right hand on his chest, the other on his forehead. I feel the chakra pass from my palms into him, so I hope that it's working. I read once that if a user of my kekkei-genkai can transfer a little of their chakra into the body of someone very close to death, and is able to talk to them telepathically, they can revive the person through their thoughts, since talking will help the brain get the rest of the bodily functions working regularly again. They need to transfer chakra since the other person is so weak, being near death, and their mind is moving too slowly to process the information. However, the transfer of chakra into the mind is a little tricky, since it's a very sensitive organ. Too little and the jutsu won't work – too much and the chakra system will overload; the brain may even explode. We don't want that. That's why this jutsu is for Level Threes only – the ability to control chakra is easier and one is more in-tune with mental connections, having had time to adjust to Stage Two and whatnot.

'_Sasuke? Sasuke, can you hear me?'_ No reply. I apply a little more pressure and a touch more chakra, since I only used a meager amount to start with. It never described the amount of chakra needed for this jutsu to work, so it's all guesswork for me. _'Sasuke, answer me.'_ Again, nothing. However, I feel something beneath my right hand; his heartbeat. I smile slightly; it's working, even if just a little. _'Sasuke, come on, damn it, answer me.'_

'…_Tami?'_ I breathe a sigh of relief.

'_Sasuke, thank goodness.'_

'_W…what're you talking about? What happened?'_

'_We thought you died,'_ I say, smiling.

'_Really? Do I look that bad?'_ I snort.

''_Bad? You look like complete ass.'_

'_Ah. Well, it's Naruto's fault…I got this injured protecting him…Little nuisance.' _

'_I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn't have listened to you.'_

'_That's not something one normally hears. It's usually "I SHOULD have listened to you".'_

'_Well, this time I shouldn't have. I should have stayed with you and Naruto, like I thought I should've. But I took your abysmal advice and helped Sakura. She's not hurt at all, nor is Tazuna.'_

'_Good. You stayed out of it.'_

'_You dumbass! You almost died! Did you not understand that part?' _He chuckles inwardly.

'_You didn't take it like I thought you would have.'_

'_How should I have taken it?'_ His heart beats quickly for a second.

'_I meant for it to be a compliment. I'm glad you're not hurt.'_ I blush, my face heating up.

'_You're still a jackass.'_ He chuckles mentally again. _'How're you feeling?'_

'_Everything hurts like hell.'_

'_Good.'_

'_Thanks,' he_ says sarcastically.

'_I didn't mean it in a "Good, you're in pain" way. I meant it as "Good, you can __feel__ things". A few minutes ago you weren't feeling anything.'_

'_How long have I been out?'_

'_Too long.'_

''_Naruto's fine?'_

'_Completely fine. Odd thing is, he doesn't have a scratch on him.'_

'_That's not right. He was injured from head to toe, like me.'_

'_Who knows? Maybe he's magic.'_ He attempts a weak laugh.

'_Sure.'_ His heart is beating almost regularly now, but it's still a few seconds too slow.

'_Can you move anything?' _I feel his arm twitch beside me.

'_Just about. Give me a minute.'_

'_Don't worry about it.'_

'_What do you have on my chest? And on my head?'_

'_Is it making it difficult to breathe?'_

'_No, it's…comforting, really. Maybe it's because I can actually feel it.'_

'_Well, it's my hands. I'm using a jutsu to do this, and I have to keep the connection until you're well enough to move on your own.'_

'_You're using a jutsu? What're you doing?'_

'_Giving you chakra.'_

'_You're WHAT?'_ I roll my eyes under my eyelids.

'_Would you loosen up? It's not like it's anything vulgar.'_

'_But you could hurt yourself!' _I smile.

'_My, someone's being sweet today.'_ This embarrasses him a bit, and it's weird to feel him so flustered.

'_Don't get used to it.'_

'_Why not? Why can't you be this pleasant every day?'_

'_I don't want to. I'm not used to being this…__NICE__.'_ I laugh at the way he said nice.

'_Being nice isn't a disease, Sasuke.'_

'_I still don't want to be nice. It'll make Sakura like me more.'_

'_Good point. Stay mean.'_

'_Oh great. Glad to know you think I'm MEAN.'_

'_You are mean. You're a first-rate ass.'_

'_And you're so much better, right?'_

'_Of course I am. I'm an absolute angel.'_

'_Riiight.'_ I smile; we're fighting again.

'_If you've got enough energy to make fun of me, try moving your arm again.'_

'_Where should I move it to?'_

'_Try putting your hand on mine.'_

'_Okay.'_ I feel his arm tremble with effort as he lifts his hand and puts it on mine. I blush slightly.

'_Try grabbing my hand a little.'_

'_Someone enjoying this, hmm?'_ he asks slyly.

'_I'm making sure you can move your fingers, you ass. They're one of the last things to wake up.'_

'_I see.'_ But I can't say I'm not pleased to feel his hand on mine. I'm so glad he's alright. He fingers wrap limply around my hand. Apparently, though, Sakura isn't enjoying it as much as I am.

'_What the hell is Sasuke doing, grabbing her hand like that?' _I sigh.

'_Well, they're not COMPLETELY awake, but your heart rate is normal now. Think you can open your eyes, at least?'_

'_Yeah, I think so.'_ I open my eyes and his flutter open slowly. He smirks slightly.

"Your hands are heavy."

"And you're still an ass." He chuckles and releases of my hand. I take my hands off of him and his eyelids droop a little.

"Whoa…That sucked." I chuckle.

"You can't rely on me forever, you baby."

"Give me a break, I've had you feeding me chakra for almost five minutes now. You nearly turned me into a parasite." I laugh again, sitting back, having leaned over him while I worked. He smiles at me a little and sits up slowly, only to be glomped by Sakura.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! SASUKE!"

'_I'm so happy for you, Sakura-chan,'_ Tazuna thinks. _I'M NOT_. And apparently, neither is Sasuke.

"Ohhh!" he moans, pain shooting through his body, especially where some of the needles are, since she's pressing down on him. This hurts both of us, so I grab her by the back of her dress and yank her away from him.

"Would you give the guy some damn air? Jeez!" She glares at me for a second, then smiles and says,

"Yeah, guess I should, huh?" I nod and she backs away. Sasuke smirks at me.

'_Someone feeling jealous?'_ I smirk in return.

"You wish." I pull a needle from his leg and he yelps in pain. I feel a burst of pain as well, but fight it down. His grimace turns into a look of astonishment.

"You heard what I thought?" I nod.

"I broadened my sight a few minutes before I woke you up." He nods, rubbing the tender spot on his leg. He stares up at me for a moment, then smirks.

"And you say I look bad. Haven't looked in a mirror lately, have you?" I curl my hand into a fist and punch him hard in the chest. He groans, covering the spot with his hand. "You brat," he mutters.

"You started it," I reply, grinning. "Well, guess we should get these needles out, huh? You keep them in there too long and it'll permanently damage you."

"I guess so," he replies with a sigh.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle," I say with a seductive wink. Sakura gets mad and Sasuke blushes.

"Is there nothing you can take seriously?" he asks.

"Fine, I'll just be stone-faced the entire time, sourpuss," I retort. But my face softens as I say, "This is going to hurt. Like, no shit, HURT." He nods. I put my hand on a needle sticking out of his leg. "Ready?" He nods once more and I feel him tense up a little. "Sasuke, you can't do that. These are dangerous, the way they're put in. If you're tense, it makes it even MORE dangerous to get them out." He groans.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me…" I shake my head, giving him an empathetic look. This is going to hurt me, as well, but I don't remind him of that fact. I'd rather he not feel that guilt.

"Alright. Three. Two. One." He bites his lip and I pull out the needle. He stifles a groan of pain and the leg I pulled it out of, my right, twitches hard. Luckily, his eyes are closed, so he doesn't notice.

'_SHIIIIIIT!'_ he thinks. I grin.

'_Oh yeah, you'll swear __mentally__.'_

'_Shut up. Better than swearing aloud.'_ I shrug.

"To each his own. Next." I put my hand on another needle. "Ready?" He nods slowly. "Three. Two. One." I tug it out and this time my leg is completely upset by the twitch. I put my hand out to prevent myself from falling, clutching the spot.

"SHIT!" I cuss. That freaking hurts!

"Oh crap, I forgot," he says, putting a hand on my back.

'_You alright?'_ I nod shakily. I sit up again and say,

"Okay, next-" I start to put my hand on another, but he grabs it and pulls it off.

"No. You're weak as it is, after giving me chakra for that long, and it hurts you every time you pull one out," he says, glaring at me in that sincere way. I know, confusing, but with Sasuke, anything's possible.

"No, I'm fine, really."

"No you're not. If you _WERE_, you wouldn't have just done that," he argues.

"No, I'm _FINE_. The only reason I did that is because I'm, like you said, weak already. And the only reason I'm weakened is because I've been subjected to everyone's emotions and pain all day. I've had to feel punches, kicks, kunai, shuriken, senbon needles, dog fangs, jutsu of all kinds, and the brief pain of the moment before death three times."

"Huh?" he asks. "Three times? The worker from earlier, me…" I hesitate for a moment, then say,

"Haku's dead, Sasuke." His eyes widen.

"Dead? Did Naruto-?"

"No, Kakashi-Sensei. He used his own jutsu to try and kill Zabuza, but Haku threw himself between them in the nick of time. He got a hole blown through his chest…" I subconsciously put a hand over where the blow had been. "It knocked me out for a moment or two, and since no one bothered to catch me, I have a lump on my head as well." He sighs.

"I see. I…was afraid…I thought…"

"You're amazing, Sasuke! You survived a deathblow!" Sakura cries. Sasuke looks down.

"No…" He gets lost in thought for a moment and I hear it.

'_He never planned to…from the start…'_

'_That's good.'_ I fall forward, my head resting on his shoulder, and he blushes. Sakura gets mad, of course. _'I don't think our team would be the same if he HAD killed you.'_ He blushes but says,

'_What are you doing?'_

'_Making Sakura jealous,' _I reply, sinking against him a little more. Sure enough, she's practically sweating envy.

'_Oh, is that all? Then get up, I need to get these out.'_

'_Correction – WE need to get them out. You're not doing it without me. And just…wait a second.'_

'_Why? What are you going to do to piss off Sakura now?'_ His temper is short with me for some reason.

'_What's up with you?'_

'_Can't you find some OTHER way to aggravate Sakura than to use me?'_ I smile.

'_Do you think that's the only reason I'm lying here?'_

'_IS there any other reason?'_ he asks doubtfully. I nod. _'Then what is it?'_

'_Because I'm getting comfortable being close to you while you're BREATHING.'_ He's completely taken aback and hesitates before putting his hand on my back. _'If anyone asks, I'm tired.'_

'_Hn.'_ His heart is beating a little quicker than the norm, but I keep my thoughts to myself. However, I smile and say,

'_See? It's not so bad being sweet, is it?'_

'_Don't get used to it.'_ I sigh and sit up.

"I needed that. I'm going to sleep for an entire twenty-four hours and STILL be tired. Damn this mission." He rolls his eyes but I see the smile he's trying to hide from us.

"Hey Tami-chan," Tazuna says and I turn to him.

"Yes?"

"When you say you broadened your sight…?"

"Along with being empathic, I'm also telepathic. Before now I've only been able to read minds with contact, but now I can do it without. Not from too far away, I think; most likely within ten feet or so." He nods understandingly.

"Does your reading get stronger as you get closer to someone?" I nod again.

"And if I'm touching someone-" I start and reach out, pressing my index finger to his hand.

'_I can talk back telepathically,' _I finish. His eyes widen, and I feel how impressed he is.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"Yeah, it's pretty handy. Makes for absolutely no privacy for other people, that's for sure."

"What about your parents?" he asks and I feel Sasuke's curiosity rise. I smile and reply,

"My father's dead, my mother passed away at my birth, and I don't even think my brothers have these abilities." His mood drops full swing and he says,

"I'm sorry, Tami-chan." I shrug.

"We aren't much of a family, to be honest."

"That's terrible." I shrug a second time.

"I don't mind it." I turn to Sasuke. "Ready?" He sighs.

"You won't drop it, will you?"

"Nope," I reply, smiling. I put my hands on one of the needles still in his leg and slide it out, tossing it to the side and wincing. We continue like this for a few more minutes until the only ones left are the ones in his neck. _'This is going to hurt,'_ I say softly, staring down into his dark eyes. I'm now on my knees next to him, so I can pull the needles out at their exact angle of entry; this way I won't destroy the muscles and veins within his neck as I remove them.

'_It's already hurt,'_ he replies.

'_No, I mean worse. Sensitivity and all that. Remember, do NOT to tense up. These are going to be the most difficult and dangerous of them.'_ He nods. _'Ready?'_ He swallows.

'_Ready.'_ I slowly start sliding a needle out of his neck. I feel splitting pain in my own and grit my teeth against it. Blood rises in his throat, making me taste it as well, and I say,

'_I'll let you spit it out in just a second.'_

'_Okay.'_ I get the rest of it out easily and he leans over, hacking blood onto the pavement. I wince, rubbing my own neck.

"You alright?" He nods, but he's trembling as well. "Tell me the truth, please. I don't want to have to go searching for it."

"I'm fine," he wheezes, but I put a finger to his lips.

"Don't talk. It'll make things worse." He gives me a curt nod.

'_How are you feeling?'_ he asks, looking at my neck as if expecting to see a hole in it.

'_Fine,'_ I reply hastily.

'_Don't make ME have to go searching for the truth, either, Tami.' _I nod again. _'You knew I had blood in my throat.'_

'_I felt it. I could TASTE it, as a matter of fact.'_

'…_Sorry.'_ I roll my eyes.

'_What the hell are you apologizing for? This isn't your fault, and it's my choice to continue.'_

'_If you say so.'_ I put my hand on another needle.

"Ready?" He nods and I start sliding it out. Blood seeps into his mouth and throat again, the feeling almost gagging me. _'Hold your breath and relax.'_ He attempts to, letting the pain overtake the anxiety that occurs when one's airway is blocked, as his is now. I tug the needle out as gently as possible and he turns away from me, letting more blood ooze out of his mouth and joining the blotches of crimson on the concrete.

'_This tastes so disgusting…'_ he thinks, spitting out more.

'_I know. Only three more to go, okay?' _He nods and sits upright. I sigh. _'What were you thinking, you moron, getting yourself this wounded?'_

'_It's not like I CHOSE this. Blame Haku and Naruto.'_ I shrug and let my hands wander back to the metal rods_. 'Ready?'_ He nods and I start.

After five minutes more of this we're through. Sasuke's completely spent, blood oozing from several areas of his body, and I feel close to collapsing. I stand and sway on the spot, my vision blurred and my perception disoriented.

"Whoooa…" I say, trying to focus. Sasuke stands beside me and grabs me, trying to keep me still. Sakura places a hand on my arm as well.

"Are you alright?" Sakura cries.

"Ohh, yeeeah," I reply sarcastically. "I'll be fine, just…give me a second…" I shut my eyes hard and when I open them I'm a bit more stable. "There. That's a bit…better."

"It really takes a lot out of you, doesn't it?" Sakura asks. "Your powers."

"You think?" I ask with a weak smirk. "How would you like being exposed to everyone's pain?"

"Isn't there some way for you to block it out?" she asks.

"I don't know. Maybe. My family's compiled hundreds of research journals, which are in a small family library on our estate. There may be something in there, but I may never find it. Also, several of the older manuscripts are too faded to be read."

"Wow. How old is your family?" she asks.

"I don't know. Really old?" I say and she rolls her eyes. "Come on, let's not just stand here. Sensei still has Zabuza to worry about." The other two nod and we turn to head back, but the sight ahead of us is horrifying. "…How did we not notice them until now?"

Standing at the bridge's end is an army of fighters, with one short man in the front. From the business suit and cane, I can tell that he's not a fighter, which can only mean one thing – he's Gato.

"Oh look, the asshole who's the cause of all this is finally here," I say. "Party wouldn't have been complete without him."

"That's Gato?" Sakura asks.

"Looks like it," Sasuke replies. He's keeping a hand around my waist and mine is draped over his shoulders. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to maintain consciousness; dying three times is pretty draining on a person. Naruto throws a kunai knife to Zabuza, who catches it in his teeth. His arms are in pain and from what I can tell they're beyond use. Kakashi-Sensei must have disabled them. Zabuza then takes a running start at Gato. The short man runs for the crowd, screaming,

"What are you waiting for? Kill all of them!" The mercenaries get ready, but I feel a wave of fear go through them all. Zabuza draws closer and closer, and when he reaches them several stab Zabuza through the back. I utter another cry of pain and my knees go weak again. Zabuza plows through them, killing numerous men with only the kunai knife in his mouth, and one by one they fade out. Sasuke holds onto me tightly, as does Sakura, and the entire time my vision is fading in and out.

"Tami, come on, stay awake," Sakura says, sounding scared. Someone gets a kunai knife thrust into their body and I feel the blood rise in his throat, making me gag. Right after, someone is run through with three more long-bladed weapons, all shoved into his back, and I draw a ragged breath, trying to stay awake. My arm slips from Sasuke's shoulders and I sink forward. He lowers me down gently and when I'm on the ground I just lie there, too weak to hold myself up. _Make it stop, make it stop, make it stoooop…_ Someone, I can only guess it's Gato, feels a surge of fear while someone else feels a wave of victorious, sinister contentment. I wait a moment, anticipating the end, and sure enough a moment later my vision goes completely black, just for it to come back a moment later. I hack blood onto the pavement as my body twitches. So much death in one day… "Oh, Tami!" Sakura shrieks, sinking to her knees next to me. I force myself up, my arms trembling.

"I'm fine," I say curtly, wiping blood from my mouth. Ick. Sasuke leans forward, offering me his hand, and I sigh, taking it.

"You don't have to act like I have some kind of disease," he growls, though I don't feel any real annoyance from him.

"Of course I do. You're an ass, remember?" I say, but I smile all the same.

"Naruto!" Sakura screams. "It's Sasuke! He's alright! He's alive!" He turns and looks at us, and I see his lips slowly curve into a smile. Tears well up in his eyes and he's so happy it almost makes _me_ cry.

"Come on, let's go make sure Naruto's okay," I say, trying to make myself sound energetic. However, since Sasuke's supporting a good deal of my weight, it isn't very believable. He nods, though, and we slowly start making our way toward him.

"Hey, are you sweethearts forgetting something?" one of the mercenaries yells. "You ninja killed our meal ticket! And now you're gonna die!"

"The only way we can break-even now is to overrun the city and loot every business and home!" They start running toward us and I groan.

"Well, it was nice knowing you guys. …Actually, no it wasn't, really." They utter soft, hysteric laughs as they watch the mercenaries draw closer. Then, an arrow flies through the air and hits the ground in front of the mob. They stop in their tracks and the three of us turn. There stands what looks like the entire town, armed and ready for a fight.

"Stop where you are!" Inari shouts.

"This island is our home. One step further, you'll die where you stand!" another villager says. Inari's leading the crowd, armed with a crossbow with a helmet on his tiny head.

"Who gives a child a crossbow?" I ask. Naruto puts his hands together and a half-dozen clones appear. Kakashi's exhausted, but he also puts his hands together. He creates a more impressive number of clones, but they're merely shadow clones and aren't solid. It's enough to scare off the mercenaries, though, who immediately turn tail and start running. The villagers cheer and their feelings of victory overtake me. The awful feeling from this morning is gone. Now…it's finally over. I breathe a sigh of relief and relax against Sasuke's side. "It's over. Fucking finally." He also sighs in relief, twinges of pain shooting through his neck. Kakashi stands and walks over to Zabuza, picking him up and carrying his limp body over to Haku's. Kakashi sets him down and I feel something cold touch my cheek. I look up and another lands on my nose.

"It's…snowing," Sakura breathes, also looking up at the sky.

'_Do you think it's Haku?'_ Sasuke asks.

'_Undoubtedly. There's no other explanation for it snowing in the middle of the summer.'_

'_How could it be, though?'_ I shrug.

'_No idea. I have to say, though…it's really beautiful.'_ My eyes are feeling so heavy…my head is starting to sink forward, too… _'Sasuke, I'm not going to last much longer.'_

'_Yeah, I know. I've got you.'_ I nod and not a moment later I drift into unconsciousness.

I wake up wrapped in a blanket. The room around me is tinted a faint red-orange, so I figure it's near sunset. I slowly roll over and see blue. I reach out and tentatively touch him.

'_Sasuke?'_ He turns around and looks down at me. My lips curve into a smile.

"Hey."

"Hey," he replies. We stare at each other for a long moment before I say,

"How long have I been asleep?" He snorts.

"Asleep? You've been unconscious for two days." I wince.

"Damn. Can't believe I was that wiped out." I start to sit up but he puts a hand on my shoulder and pushes me back.

"Kakashi-Sensei says you're not allowed to move."

"But I-"

"NO," he growls and forces me onto my back. I try getting up again and he restrains me.

"Let me up, damn it!"

"I said NO," he muttered. "Kakashi-Sensei said I'm not allowed to let you get up until he checks you first." I fight against him again and he keeps me down.

"Then where the hell is he?" He puts both hands on my shoulders as I start using more strength to get up. He has to shift closer to me to keep me down and he snaps,

"I don't know where he is, but just – hold – STILL!" He gets me back down and smirks, so I swing my fist towards his face. He moves back far enough so that I barely graze his nose and he glares at me. His hands move from my shoulders to my wrists, but this just gives me more of an advantage. I push my body up and try pushing him away with my legs. He growls out of frustration and finally gets on top of me, pushing down on me so I can't move and pinning my wrists above my head. I feel my face turn red and his own cheeks become slightly pinker. Our breath mingles from our close proximity and we stare at each other. "Stop – struggling," he gasps, slightly breathless from our little fight. We hear the door open and we both look towards it. The other three are standing there, looking shocked.

"Uhhh…It's…not what it looks like…?" I say meekly.

"Well, I suppose you're feeling better, since apparently you have energy to get intimate with Sasuke," Kakashi says.

"We're not _getting intimate_, this asshole wouldn't let me get up," I mutter darkly.

"I see. Well, thank you for following my orders, Sasuke. You can let her get up now."

"Hn, good," he says as he got up off of me. While his hand still rests on my arm I say,

'_Shut up, don't act like you weren't enjoying yourself,'_ and smirk at him. He rolls his eyes.

'_I do believe I reserve the right to do whatever I want to, thanks.'_ I stand up and stretch. My body is still sore and I figure I can use some exercise so I say,

"Where are my shoes?"

"Tami, I said you could get up. That doesn't mean you get to leave the house," Kakashi says. Naruto walks over and throws his arms around me.

"Are you okay, Tami?" he cries.

"Yeah, Naruto, I'm fine," I reply and embrace him in return. He pulls away after a minute or so and I smile at him. "I'm okay, just a little sore." He gives me one of his wide grins.

"Good. Because man, did you look beat! Last time you were awake you looked like crap!" I sigh.

"Thanks for the words of comfort, Naruto." I feel Sakura's eyes on me and look at her through my peripheral vision. She's glaring at me a bit, probably upset by my "intimacy" with Sasuke. In fact, now that I focus on her, I can feel her sparks of envy. She isn't too mad at me, though, since both of us are acting completely normal.

'_So how good are you at reading minds now, Tami-chan?' _Kakashi asks. _'Naruto told me you got better right before you saved Sasuke.'_

"Good enough to not need contact within small spaces," I reply aloud while turning my gaze to him. He smiles under his face mask.

"Glad to hear it."

"Yeah, so am I." I stretch again, feeling some of my joints pop. My knees crack loudly and I yelp. "I need exercise."

"You do not," Kakashi says. "You'll have plenty of time to stretch your legs when we hit the road." I groan again, this time out of exasperation.

"Come on! I'm not asking for it to be a fight to the death! I just want something to get the blood flowing!" He eyes me sternly and says,

"For the last time, Tami – NO."

"Damn it," I growl, sitting back down heavily. Sakura's got an irritating smirk on her face and I resist the urge to throw something at her.

We leave about a week and a half later, and I'm thankful to be on the road again. We'd picked a nice spot to bury Zabuza and Haku, right alongside each other, and even though they put us through absolute hell, I hope they rest in peace. We walk in silence for a while, the five of us just enjoying the sunshine and our moment of unstressed, pain-free peace. About halfway through our journey back, however, Sakura walks up beside me.

"Hey Tami, you told Mr. Tazuna that your father died. Is he really dead?" Sakura asks.

"Yes, Sakura. I make a habit of being honest," I reply in a bored tone, not even glancing at her.

"How long ago was that?" she asks, moving a little closer to me. I tilt my head a little farther downward, trying to ignore her curious, probing gaze and the onslaught of questions forming in her head.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Tami, if you're in pain, you shouldn't keep it all bottled up. It's not good for you," she insists, sounding matter-of-fact.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of judging my own emotional stability, Haruno," I growl, shooting her a glare out of the corner of my eye. "I'm an empath, after all."

"Just because you can feel what other people feel doesn't mean you have control over your own emotions," she states. The haughty, 'I know more than you' tone of her voice is making me itch to punch her in her damn face. Who is SHE to tell me how I feel, or what my powers can do? Not only that, but I can't stand how she's trying to bring up my past. It not only irritates me because it's a subject I never want to be forced to talk about, but I've never had anyone ask what happened to me before. Even though her tone is snobby, and though she doesn't really _care_ what happened, just having someone _pretend_ to take a genuine interest in me is…unfamiliar. It's emotionally thin ice, and I don't know if I'm ready to tread across it just yet. But she just keeps fucking PUSHING. "It probably won't hurt so bad if you tell me."

"He's DEAD! What difference does it make?" I snap, rounding on her and stopping. She stops, too, and the boys slow to a halt a few feet from us. At least the men are keeping their mouths shut. Images start to leak into my mind and I shut my eyes, trying to force them back into the corner I try to keep them in. He's dead…that's all that matters…Nothing else…

"Tami, talking can help you feel so much better. It'll help you get everything off your chest-" she coaxes and I snap,

"I'm FINE!"

"Tami…" Naruto says, starting to step forward. I bite my lip. Oh shit, not him too. Sakura's just annoying, but I actually consider Naruto a friend of sorts; I don't think I'll be able to refrain from doing something stupid and regrettable if he gets involved. Don't break…Not in front of them… They're all staring at me now, even Kakashi, though he keeps his face turned. I can hear their thoughts…curious, concerned, suspicious…"Tami, just-"

"I KILLED HIM!" They fall silent and I slowly open my eyes to absorb their reactions. They're just as I thought they'd be - stunned, horrified. "It was...an accident. To this day, I don't know how I did it, and I haven't done it since. I just...I don't know." They're still silent, staring at me, then Sakura whispers,

"H-how...how old were you?"

"Ten." She gasps and covers her mouth daintily with her hands. I glance at the others, who are still stunned, then mutter, "You asked." With that, I spin around on my heel and keep walking toward home. They stand there for a moment more, then one by one start coming back to life and following behind me. For the rest of the walk home they keep their distance from me, preferring to let me have a twenty-foot lead. Kakashi's the only one who's not being judgmental, and it's probably because he already knew what I'd done. The rest of them, though…They don't know whether to make heads-or-tails of this. Not that I really blame them, but…this sucks. I'd thought I could keep this part of me away from them. The less they know about me, the better off we'll all be.

We get back home and as soon as Kakashi dismisses us I go straight home. I just want to get away from them…Sakura even doubts that it'd been an accident. Oh yes, because I'm such a _cold-blooded_ _killer_. If I was, they'd be searching for her body already. Once I get home, the first thing I notice upon getting inside is how quiet the house is. That's…weird. Usually when I'm not here, my brothers do everything in their power to destroy everything and make as much noise as possible, but…there's nothing. Everything's in place, and there's not a sound. Sleeping, maybe? Though they can't have been sleeping for nearly a month…

I walk into the kitchen, looking for anything that could give me a clue as to where they are, and I find a note on the table. It's in Kai's handwriting.

_**I don't know where you are, or when you'll be back, and there's no reason for us to wait around for you to get back. We're leaving. I'm taking the other three and we're leaving Konoha. We've been offered more by a man I met on my last mission; he's said he can train us to become stronger than anyone here ever can. So I'm taking him up on his offer. We can't stand living in the same house as the person who killed our father, and it's not like you like us very much anyway. Goodbye forever.**_

All four of them had signed it. I reread it at least three times before crumpling it in my hand and throwing it away. I stand there in silence for a moment, then walk back out, heading for my uncle's section of the compound. I knock on his door and he opens it after a minute.

"Tami-chan! When did you get back?" he asks.

"Ten minutes ago. Did you know my brothers were leaving?" He shakes his head.

"Leaving to go where?"

"Leaving Konoha is all they said. They're gone. I don't know how long ago they left, and I don't really care. I just thought you'd like to know, and I know that Grandfather would like to be informed." With that I turn on my heel and head back. Once I'm back in our section, I sink into a chair at the table. _They're gone. They're really gone. I'm…alone._

When I meet my teammates the next morning, Sakura sort of eyes me distrustfully, Naruto doesn't meet my gaze, and Sasuke pretends I'm not even there. I feel so…isolated. It's just like being at home now. I stifle a despondent sigh and cross to the other side of the bridge, sitting on the railing and staring down at my feet. I fight to ignore their persistent thoughts as they nag at me. I've never wanted Kakashi to be on time more than I do right now, but he doesn't show for another three hours.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm afraid I got lost on the way here," Kakashi says.

"Your nose is growing, Sensei! You always lay it on too thick!" Sakura snaps. I just sit there, staring blankly at the boards on the bridge.

"Hey, Kakashi-Sensei! Any hot new missions for the seventh cell? We've had nothing but gimmes!" Naruto says, his blood pumping eagerly. After Sasuke saved his ass on the last mission, he's dying to prove that he's Sasuke's equal. Ah, scratch that – Sasuke's _superior_.

"Well, let's get going then," Kakashi says. My teammates shuffle after him, but it takes me a moment to summon the strength to follow. After spending ten years being constantly hated, then another two being hated and _feared_…Upon joining the team, I'd thought I could escape it. I'd thought I could escape feeling hated for no reason…or being feared for something that I couldn't control… "Tami?" I look up at Kakashi, who's standing in front of me now. My teammates are standing a while away, watching us.

"…Sorry." I slide off the railing.

"Are you-?"

"No," I answer softly before he has a chance to finish. "But it doesn't matter. Let's just…go. Please." He doesn't press; we just head off. The day drags by, and I complete my tasks with at least ten feet of space between me and my teammates. I don't speak for the rest of the day. I don't want to; I can hear their thoughts, and it's enough. At the day's end, Kakashi dismisses us and I turn to head for home.

"Hold on, Tami," he says and I freeze. My teammates throw me a glance, but Sasuke then turns and keeps walking, so the others follow suit. I sigh.

"Yes sir?"

"I'm sorry about what happened. And I'm sorry your teammates are treating you so differently now. I know it must be hard for you." I laugh, spinning around to face him.

"Hard? Hard doesn't even begin to _cover_ it! Nobody knows what it's like to have to not only live with having killed their father, but having to listen to the _thoughts_ of their teammates…People never try to mask what they're thinking! Nobody thinks about it, so they twist and distort and perverse things! Did you know that Sakura actually suspects me of killing him on _purpose_? Or that Sasuke thinks that it makes a _lot of sense_ for me to have killed him? Even Naruto, who's been through hell his entire life and is probably the most open-minded in our group, won't take the time to think about things my way! Now I not only have no parents, but now I have no brothers and I have _no teammates_!" I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "And I can't do it anymore. I can't keep having people look at me with nothing but contempt." I take another slow breath. "I'll be back tomorrow, Sensei, but unless they're willing to work with me…I won't be back after that." I then turn on my heel and head for home. Despite his sympathy, he doesn't call me back.

I head down the street toward my house and ahead of me I spot Naruto and Sakura, along with a group of kids and a pair I've never seen before. One's dressed in a black jumpsuit and he's carrying a long, wrapped bundle on his back, while the other is a blonde girl in a purple dress. I continue toward them and as I approach I notice that their headbands have the shape of an hourglass on them – they're from the Village Hidden in the Sand. The boy in black has one of the kids by his scarf, holding him off the ground.

"Bad enough that you're a short little kid…You're disrespecting your elders! You want me to kill him?" the tall boy asks, smirking.

"Put him down," I say softly. Sakura and Naruto spin around to face me.

"T-Tami…W-we thought you went home…" Naruto says.

"My house is that way – past the impolite visitors," I say coolly, staring at the Sand genin. "Talk about disrespect. You're foreigners in our country. Do you really think you can get away with infanticide?"

"Who the hell are you?" he snaps.

"Not any of your business, is it?" I ask. "What should matter to you is that because I live here, I've got more leverage than you do. Put the boy down." He smirks.

"Or what?" I make a quick set of seals and dart forward, pressing just my index finger to his forehead. It sends a burst of pain through his system and he groans, his grip loosening on the kid.

"I can make it ten times worse," I reply. "I'm well within my right to use force." He eyes me carefully for a second, then I feel the presence of another mind. It's Sasuke's. I take a step back and a rock goes flying past my head, hitting the boy in the wrist. It sends a jolt of pain through his arm and he releases the little kid. Sakura spins around and shouts,

"Sasuke!"

"Tell me, what're you guys doing in our village?" he asks, tossing another rock into the air and catching it. I figure I'm now rendered unnecessary, so I start to walk past the tall boy, but he throws his arm out and stops me.

"You just wait a second. What was that jutsu you used on me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I ask coldly. He grits his teeth and drives his fist toward me, but I duck. Reading his next move from his mind, I jump up over his sweep kick, going high enough for me to swing my leg down and catch him in the jaw with my heel. The force spins him and he falls face-first to the floor. I hit the ground and start walking away again, but it feels like something catches me around the ankle. I turn back to him and see that he's propping himself up, one hand raised as if he has something around his fingers. I groan and do another set of seals. From the earlier touch, I have some of his mental signature. He pulls on whatever's holding me and instead of falling I step forward and put my hand on him again. His arm goes numb and I feel the string's hold go limp. "Nice try."

"How the hell are you doing that?" he demands. I open my mouth to answer, but I sense the presence of a new mind and look up. He's hanging upside down off the branch behind Sasuke. The boy gets to his feet. "You two think you're pretty smart, don't you?" he asks and unties the bundle from his back.

"Don't tell me you're planning on using the crow!" the girl says. I look back up at Sasuke.

"Behind you, Sasuke," I say.

"Kankuro, don't!" The boy's voice is cold and I feel a wave of fear go through Kankuro. "You're a disgrace to our entire village."

"Finally, someone with reason," I say. The stranger's blue eyes slide to me.

"B-but Gaara! The little one slammed into me!" Kankuro says.

"Shut up…or I'll kill you," Gaara replies softly, and I feel the truth in his words.

"You're right. I was out of line," Kankuro agrees hastily.

"We're sorry…okay, Gaara?" the blonde says. Gaara looks from me to Sasuke.

"Sorry for my friends." He disappears in a whirlwind and reappears between his comrades. "I know we're early, but we didn't come here to play around."

"I swear it won't happen again," Kankuro says. Gaara seems to be the youngest out of them, but he has such control over them, and I think I sense why…He gives me the same vibe as Naruto does, only a bit stronger. They turn to walk off, but Sakura stops them and asks them about their passports. I roll my eyes and try walking past them again. I hear them mention the Chunin exams, but I ignore it. I doubt Kakashi will let us take them this year. I slide by the Sand trio and start down the alleyway, but Sasuke's voice catches my ear.

"Hey, you there! What's your name?"

"Wh-who, me?" the blonde asks eagerly. I utter an incredulous laugh and I know she heard me because her anger gives a jolt.

"Pathetic," I say.

"No, I was talking to the spook beside you," Sasuke says.

"Gaara of the Desert, at your service. And you?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." A pause.

"And you. The girl with the reddish hair." I stop and turn back around, my eyes narrowing guardedly. "Not many people can land a hit on Kankuro like you did. What's your name?" I sigh.

"Sohma Tami. Now, am I done entertaining you all? I'd like to go home." He nods and I turn on my heel, heading back down the alleyway.

'_Pathetic? Please,'_ the blonde girl says. _'She has no idea who she's talking to. She's just a stuck-up, prissy little-'_

"Yeah, you finish that sentence," I snap, turning and glaring daggers at the blonde. She jumps, gaping at me. "You finish that sentence, then I'll kick your ass back to your village and deliver you to your front door with a fucking ribbon tied around your fat head. I'm begging you. I've had a very trying day and I'm itching to beat someone bloody." She just stands there in absolute awe.

"I-I didn't even say anything!" she says.

"You don't have to," I growl. Gaara stares at me curiously, but I don't meet his gaze. I feel Sakura and Naruto's worry, so I turn and keep walking. This time I manage to leave the alleyway and get home.


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey everyone! So, a big thanks to kmkm89, xXMajorsDarlinXx, and XxDarknezzXx for adding me to their favorites/alert lists! You guys are awesome! So, disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Naruto series except for what comes out of my pretty little head! I'm not Kishimoto, unfortunately. I WISH I drew that well... -.-' Anywho, enjoy chapter 9!_

**Chapter 9**

I'm washing my dinner dishes when someone knocks on the door. I quickly dry my hands off and walk into the main room to answer it, but when I realize who it is I hesitate. He knocks again and I sigh.

"What do you want, Uchiha?" I ask without opening the door.

"Oh that's friendly, just yelling at me from inside," he retorts. I lean against the door, my hand on the knob and my forehead against the wood.

"Are you here to just tell me what you've been thinking, or do you have something pleasant to say?" He sighs and I feel him put his hand to the door.

"Will you just open the door?" I twist the knob and step back, pulling it open and gesturing for him to walk past me. He does so and I shut the door behind us. "You know, I've never seen the inside of your house before," he says, making idle talk while he takes his shoes off. I sigh.

"I'm aware of that. Lucky for you, you don't have to deal with my brothers."

"Where are they?" he asks.

"Gone."

"Mission?"

"No, they're gone. They took off who knows how long ago, while we were on our mission with Tazuna. I came back to find a note saying that they couldn't stand living with me and that they were never coming back." He stares up at me and says,

"…You're serious? They just left?"

"You look surprised. You know full well that my family hates me." He doesn't reply to that. "Thirsty?" He stands and I lead him into the kitchen. He leans against the counter as I get down a glass and fill it with water for him. When I hand it to him, he mutters,

"Thanks. So…is it just you now?"

"My other family members live in other parts of the compound, but yes, it's just me." He nods and takes a drink. I stand there watching him for a moment, then I finally say, "What do you want?" He exhales slowly.

"I want to know what happened." I flinch and he sees it, but he's kind enough not to say anything.

"I told you, I don't know."

"Not how, exactly, just…what happened. I…" He mulls over how to word it.

"You know that you're probably the last person I want to talk to about it, because of what you said, but you know that you're also the only person I want to talk to about it because I was there when your family died and you know how my family treated me as a kid, so technically you're the closest person to me," I say for him.

"…More or less." I put my hands on the counter, leaning against it. He waits silently for me to decide whether I will or not. Finally, I sigh.

"After I left, I went straight home. I'd hoped my family would be asleep and hadn't noticed my absence. I wouldn't have been surprised if they hadn't - you know what they were like...But..." I have to pause for a moment, readying myself for the account of what else had happened. Because I'd never had to tell anyone else about it and I try to avoid thinking about it whenever possible, I've never had to recount the scenario in such detail. He waits patiently for me to continue. "But my father was awake. And a friend of his had already stopped by and told him what had been done and who the culprit was. He assumed I had something to do with it, going as far as to accuse me of being in league with Itachi all along and taking direct part in killing your family. I...

"I lost my temper, and it pissed him off even more than he already was. He proceeded to beat the hell out of me for what felt like forever, but couldn't have been more than ten minutes." I feel a pang of sympathy and clear my throat. It's still unfamiliar for people to feel that way for me. "When I was pulverized to his satisfaction, he pulled a knife on me, intending to finish me off. He'd always hated me, and I'd come to accept it, but it still...sucked. I...I panicked, and...I reached forward and touched his face. There was this weird flash of light and we were blown apart from each other. I passed out and woke up in the hospital a little while later, which is when I was told what I'd done." I swallow hard, fighting down the lump that had risen in my throat. We lapse into an uneasy silence and I try to ignore his thoughts.

"I'm...sorry." Wow, that's unexpected.

"You're...sorry? For what?" I ask, turning to face him.

"For saying to you what I did. I know that you didn't help him. It doesn't justify not telling anyone what he was planning on doing, but...you'd only known us a week and you were immediately thrown into our family's problems. It wasn't...fair, especially not after the way your own family treated you."

"I'm...I'm sorry, too, Sasuke. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more. I just don't know what I could have done to change the way things panned out. And you know I'm being honest when I say that...I would trade places with you in a heartbeat," I say, looking into his coal black eyes. He can see just how serious I am, and he knows how much I really do mean it. The tension in the air has softened and we share an easy quiet for a few minutes, then he says,

"So what are you going to do about Sakura and Naruto? Will you tell them everything you just told me?" I shake my head.

"No. It's obvious now that the less people know about me, the better off I am. I don't know what I can do to make them stop fearing my every move, but…" I sigh. "Damn it, Sasuke, why do you have to complicate things?" He tilts his head to the side.

"Complicate things?"

"I was fully prepared to leave the team tomorrow unless you guys went back to your normal selves, but now I have you on my side and Sakura and Naruto against me."

"You were going to _leave the squad_?" he asks, surprised. "Can you even do that? Are you allowed to be a solo genin?" I shrug.

"Don't know. Don't care. I can't take being around people that hate me anymore. I've spent too much time being disgusted by the people here at home; I can't take being disgusted by my peers. I'm the equal of everyone on our squad, so I shouldn't be looked down on, scorned, or feared just because of an accident I had two years ago."

"Equal to?" he asks and I see the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. "I'd say you're a bit more than _equal to_ Sakura and Naruto." I feel myself blush; that's probably the sweetest thing he's said to me in a really long time. I smirk and say,

"Guess I was being exceedingly generous. But Naruto's stronger than most people give him credit for. You didn't see him when he thought you were dead." He arches an eyebrow at me.

"What happened?"

"…Maybe you'll see. Hopefully you won't have to, though. It was a little overwhelming." He drops the subject and says,

"I guess the blonde girl didn't take kindly to you calling her pathetic." I snort.

"Eh, she was calling me something along the lines of a stuck-up, prissy something or other. I stopped her before she got to the end."

"You certainly stunned all three of them. Kankuro had the guts to ask us how you did that, but we kept our mouths shut. If they can't figure out that you're telepathic from that, they don't deserve to know." I nod.

"The Chunin exams, though…Seems a little early in the year for them."

"Do you think Kakashi will let us sign up?" he asks.

"Not sure. I would definitely hold us back, but Kakashi seems to be pretty confident in our abilities."

"If we become Chunin, we won't be tied to the squad anymore," he says, and a bit of excitement builds in his stomach.

"Come on, Sasuke, don't be so eager to be rid of me," I say teasingly and I turn back to the dishes in the sink. I flip on the water and start scrubbing a bowl.

"It's not necessarily you I want to be rid of," he says. "Above everyone else, I really just want to be rid of Sakura." I laugh. "It's hard to appreciate her intelligence when she's constantly flirting with me and getting in the way. And _screaming_; it seems like all she does on missions is scream." I snicker again as I dry off the dishes.

"She just hasn't been hardened the way the three of us have. It doesn't help that you're a bit distracting." He smirks at me.

"You think I'm _distracting_?" I glance at him over my shoulder.

"Why are you asking me? I'm not going to bloat your ego any more than it already has been. If you need proof that you're distracting, go walk through town. I promise you that at least twenty girls will stop whatever they're doing and gawk at you."

"I'm not asking if they think I'm distracting. I'm asking if YOU think so." I arch an eyebrow at him.

"Does it matter what I think?"

"I'm just curious. You get to read my mind and know my every thought; it's only fair if I get to know some things about you, as much as you don't want me to." I smirk.

"There's a reason I'm the Sohma and you're the Uchiha. There's perks to being me, there's perks to being you. For instance, I don't have to worry about being viciously molested by fangirls." He makes a face and I snicker. "That's a definite perk."

"I'm not going to get an answer out of you, am I?" he asks and I sigh.

"Sasuke, seeing as I've only managed to wash one bowl in five minutes when on any other day I'd be done, yes, I'd say you're a bit distracting." Though he has the urge to continue arguing, he keeps his mouth shut. I finish cleaning the kitchen and he says,

"I'd better get home. Thanks…for telling me what happened." I nod.

"Sadly, Sakura was kind of right for once. I feel a bit better having told someone. It's not going to change anything, but I guess knowing that you no longer despise me is a relief."

"Eh, I don't know. Keep on calling me an ass and I might resort to my old ways," he says, but I know it's all in jest. I walk him to the door and I say,

"I never thought I'd do this."

"Do what?" he asks.

"I never thought I'd be seeing you out, or that I would ever tell you what happened, or anything. I'm surprised we've gotten comfortable enough to joke with each other. The second I saw that you were on my squad, my immediate thought was that you were going to leap over the table and slit my throat or something."

"Believe me, I thought about it," he says with a smirk. "But I thought Sakura was going to get to you before I could." I roll my eyes.

"Please. You give me no credit, Sasuke." He takes his leave and a few hours later I go to bed.

I get up the next day and head to the bridge. My surprisingly pleasant evening with Sasuke will all be for nothing if I can't think of a way for Sakura and Naruto to go back to normal. Once I get there, though, Sasuke's kind enough to break the ice.

"Are you going to remain a zombie forever? Because even though you're nearly unbearable when you're acting like your normal self, at least you have a better sense of humor," he says and I smirk.

"Oh please, Uchiha. With you around there's so much potential humor to be had, it's impossible to resist. You did a good job with your make-up this morning, by the way. You're looking much prettier today." He rolls his eyes, but I feel the tension in the air around us ease a bit when Naruto snickers. Half an hour passes and Sakura says,

"Okay, look, are we just going to stand here and let them get away with this? Why is it, whenever we get called out, we end up waiting like dopes for the challenger to show up?" Sasuke and I watch her rant with less-then-mild interest while Naruto encourages her.

"She's right! Say it, Sakura!"

"I mean, think how I feel! I overslept, and I didn't even get to blow-dry my hair!" she says and I snort.

"Really? That's your primary concern?"

"My hair happens to be important to me!" she says.

'_Sasuke likes girls with long hair,'_ she thinks, puffing herself up.

"Eh, I think the length of your hair and the color clash when it comes to winning Sasuke's affections," I say, grinning. "Besides, who knows what kind of girl Sasuke likes? Has he ever dated a girl? No. Has he ever _shown interest_ in a girl? No, he hasn't. How do you know he even LIKES girls?" Her jaw drops at the notion and Naruto fights back a laugh.

'_That's true,'_ Naruto thinks. _'The only person he's ever kissed is me, and boy, was __that__ awkward.'_ I burst into laughter and turn to Sasuke.

"Y-you kissed Naruto?" He groans, glaring at the blonde.

"Once, on accident. It was completely Naruto's fault, too." I laugh again, clutching the railing for support and holding my side.

"Wooow, Sasuke."

"It _was_ kinda my fault," Naruto says.

"Kinda?" Sasuke reiterates.

"Okay, completely my fault!" Naruto corrects crossly.

"W-what did you do?" I ask.

"Sasuke was surrounded by all the girls in class, as always, and I got ticked off, so I climbed on Sasuke's desk and got in his face about it. He just thinks he's sooo cool-"

"He IS cool!" Sakura says defensively.

"But the guy behind me nudged me with his elbow and I fell forward, and…well…"

"Smooch action. NICE," I finish for him with a grin and all three of them shudder. Kakashi shows up shortly afterward.

"Morning guys! Today I wandered a bit from the path of life…"

"You are such a liar! You could at least pretend to be sorry!" Naruto and Sakura shout, but I just laugh again. This relieves Kakashi and as he jumps down to us I hear him think,

'_Thank goodness.'_

"This may surprise you, but I recommended all four of you for the Chunin exams," he says and I look at Sasuke. He's calm on the outside, but within I feel his excitement. His thoughts immediately go to the red-haired boy from the Sand Village.

"SAY WHAT?" Sakura cries.

"Good one, Sensei. You almost had us."

"You have to fill out applications," Kakashi says, handing one to each of us. I read it over as he continues. "If any of you don't wish to compete, the exam is completely voluntary. The choice is yours. You needn't turn in those forms unless you want to. If you do, report to Room 301 at the school by 4:00 tomorrow afternoon. That's all." With that, he disappears. I look at my teammates carefully.

"Well?" I say.

"Heck yes I'm taking it!" Naruto shouts.

"I didn't think for a second that you weren't going to," I say and the four of us head off.

"I'll bet there'll be a lot of tough competition!" Naruto continues excitedly. He thinks back to Kankuro, then his eyes dart to Sasuke. He starts daydreaming of the "glories" of "winning" the chunin exams and I'm tempted to remind him that plenty of people might pass, and that it's not a contest, but I hold my tongue. I then feel a sinking feeling of melancholy and stop. Turning, I see that Sakura's stopped.

'_I…don't want to. Forget Sasuke and Tami, I can't even keep up with Naruto. This exam would be too much for me.'_ I frown and walk back to her.

"Even if I wasn't an empath, your negativity would be equally contagious," I say and she looks up at me. She frowns and says,

"What do you want?"

"You should at least try, you know. What are you going to do while we're not there? Train? Get a manicure? What are you going to lose by coming with us? You never know, you might find yourself more capable of keeping up if you'd just try _doing_ _something_. Besides, when Sasuke and I are doing the fighting, we're going to need some sort of disciplinarian to keep up with the team pet." She hesitates, then says,

"…Okay." I then turn and catch up with the guys.

We meet at the school the next morning and even though she's still shaky, Sakura's feeling the slightest bit better. We head inside and when we reach the second floor we see a crowd ahead of us.

"Damn! Is the line seriously this fucking long?" I ask. I walk to the wall and take a few steps up to see over people's heads, but find that they're just clustered around one of the doors. I hop off and say, "False alarm, guys, they're in a different line." They nod and we start moving through them. When we get close, we see two men in front of the door, blocking it from everyone. The hell? A boy in a green jumpsuit moves forward, but one of the guards hits him back.

"Is someone as talentless as you really planning to take the Chunin exams? Don't bother. Bunch of wet-behind-the-ears snotnoses."

"You said it," his partner agrees.

"Please, we're begging you, just let us through!" a brunette girl says, stepping forward. The guard back-hands her and she falls to the floor.

"…That's just cruel!" a boy in front of me says.

"No, it's smart, now move," I say and push past him. My teammates start to follow behind me, but they're a bit trapped. One of the guards starts going on about how awful the exams are and I listen to their thoughts. They're not taking the exam – they're proctors of the exam itself.

"We're saving a step by weeding out the obvious losers beforehand," he says.

"That sounds good in theory, but you'd better let me through," Sasuke says. "And drop the illusion you've created, while you're at it." I smirk.

"Ooo, bossy, are we, Sasuke? Leave the proctors alone, or they might flunk your ass."

"Oh, so that's who you are," he says. They grin.

"So, you two figured it out, huh?"

"It was easy, right, Sakura? You were probably the first to notice. You're the most analytical and the best on our team at understanding the art of illusion," Sasuke says encouragingly. She blushes slightly and her lips curve into a soft, flattered smile before she smirks and says,

"Of course I noticed it. Obviously, we're still on the second floor." The genjutsu reverses itself and I feel the surprise of most of those gathered. I grin at the proctors.

"What was that about snot-noses?"

"Heh, not bad. But just seeing through it isn't – enough – !" He swings his leg up toward Sasuke, who starts to kick back, but the boy in green from before dives in between them, catching their legs in his hands. My eyes widen in surprise. _Damn, he's strong._ He's using pure strength to hold them; not an ounce of chakra.

"Wow. Very impressive," I say, smirking. He releases the proctor and a boy with white eyes, who I can only assume is his teammate, says,

"Hey! That's not what we agreed. You're the one who insisted we avoid drawing attention to ourselves." I sigh. If only _our_ cell could go somewhere without drawing attention to ourselves. But with loud-mouth, ever-the-show-off Naruto, Sakura with her eye-searing hair, and drop-dead sexy, smart ass Sasuke in tow, it's pretty much an impossibility. The boy in green blushes and says,

"B…but…" His eyes dart to Sakura and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. He walks straight over to her and he says.

"Hi! My name is Rock Lee. You're Sakura, aren't you? Would you go out with me? I promise to protect you with my life!" he says gallantly, flashing her a smile. Her mood drops significantly and I can't help but laugh at her.

"No…way…You are way out of hand!" she says and he sinks in defeat.

"But Sakura, he's so cute!" I say, being sincere. That was a pretty sweet thing to say to someone he just met, purely on the basis of her looks. Rock Lee flashes me a smile that I return, then I notice his teammate's eyes are locked on Sasuke. Oh jeez…

"Hey you! What's your name?" he asks and that sends Naruto off like a cannon. Thankfully, he keeps his mouth shut.

"It's common courtesy to give your own name first," Sasuke replies coolly and I sigh. _Oh yes, Sasuke, piss off the stranger._

"You're a rookie, aren't you? How old are you?"

"I don't have to tell you a thing," Sasuke says, earning him the affectionate looks of Lee's female teammate. I groan and stomp over to them.

"Uchiha Sasuke, meet Hyuuga Neji. Sasuke's twelve, Neji's thirteen, now can we GO? Tick-tock, clock's running people! Can't continue to stand here with our thumbs up our asses, can we?" A ripple of laughter erupts in the crowd behind us and Neji looks at me in awe.

"How did you know my name? And my _age_?"

"I'm special like that," I reply, grabbing Sasuke by the arm. "Nice talking to you." I then drag Sasuke off. "Sakura, grab the dunce, please." She does so and follows me and Sasuke down the hall.

"I had everything under control," Sasuke says, but smiles at me nonetheless.

"One more instance of back-talking on your part, and you'd have had Neji's female teammate on your list of fangirls," I retort. "And I'm tired of us constantly drawing attention to ourselves. Can we not go anywhere lying low? Lee's team had the right idea until he thought it smart to show off for Sakura."

"It's not my fault we're smarter than everyone else," he says. "Regardless of whether or not I'd said anything, we'd have gotten attention for not stopping at that room." I sigh.

"I know. It's still irritating, though." We walk through a large room on our way up, but we only get halfway through when I feel the presence of a fifth person. I groan and stop.

"What?"

"Hey, you with the scowl! Wait up!" We turn and there stands Lee, on a balcony above us.

"What is it?" Sasuke asks.

"You and me, here and now…Want to fight?" he asks.

"Of course he does," I mutter.

"You want to fight me, here and now?"

"Yes." He jumps down and lands a few feet from us. "My name is Rock Lee. Among sticklers, etiquette requires one to introduce oneself before asking for the name of the other…Uchiha Sasuke. I'm calling you out. I want to test the effectiveness of my techniques against the last surviving member of your legendary clan. Besides…" His eyes drift to Sakura again, who shudders. He gives her a cute wink, but she just flips out.

"No way! Those eyelashes creep me out! Not to mention the geeky 'do and the caterpillar unibrow!" He blows her a kiss, complete with a little heart, and says,

"You're an angel!" Sakura, naturally, flops backwards, slamming her head into the floor. I burst into laughter at her stupidity; she couldn't have simply stepped to the side or something? She gets back up and says,

"You keep your weird kisses to yourself, creep! I could have died dodging that!"

"Too bad you didn't. Jeez, Sakura, could you be any more of a shallow bitch?" I ask. "He's sweet enough to take an interest in you, of all people."

"How come you're so harsh on her?" Lee asks, turning to me suddenly. "A pretty girl like you should be more positive." I give him a slight smile.

"Sorry. Runs in my blood."

"I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself to you yet. I'm Rock Lee."

"Sohma Tami." I gesture to the blonde, who's now positively fuming. "This is Uzumaki Naruto. Seems you overlooked him." He nods to Naruto, then refocuses on Sasuke.

"So…you're challenging me, even knowing my lineage? In other words, you're a fool," Sasuke says. "So, Dog-brow…do you really want to learn what it means to be an Uchiha?"

"Absolutely!" Lee replies. But I hear his thoughts.

'_I'm going toe-to-toe with the cream of the rookie crop, first time out! Now you'll get the proof you require, Gai-Sensei!'_

"What proof does Gai-Sensei want?" I ask and his eyes widen. He turns to me and says,

"H-how did you know-?"

"Since we're apparently about to see your skills, Lee, it's only fair for you to know mine. I'm a psychic. I can read your mind, and I can feel your every emotion. It's how I knew Neji's name and age."

"Wow! Another genius!" Lee says, awed. "But I have never heard your name before."

"I didn't attend the academy like everyone else," I say. "But you didn't answer my question: what proof does your sensei need?"

"That is for me to know," he says and I say,

"Very well."

"Whoa, hold up! You'll gladly go prodding around in our minds, but you won't search through his?" Sakura demands and I smirk at her.

"I have respect for _him_." She grinds her teeth together.

"Wait," Naruto says. "Let me handle Dog-Brow. He'll be toast. Just give me five minutes."

"I have no interest in fighting you. Only Uchiha," Lee says, but Naruto goes for him.

"Story of my freaking life! It's always 'Sasuke this' and 'Sasuke that' till I could puke!" He has a point, and I feel bad for him. Naruto's definitely Sasuke's equal when it comes to strength alone, but smarts-wise… As Naruto approaches, I feel Lee's unwavering calm. He's poised, ready… Naruto throws his fist toward him, but Lee swats it down without so much as a falter. He doesn't even look down at him. Naruto quickly breaks his fall with his hands, swinging his leg up to catch Lee in the chest, but Lee ducks. He pivots on his foot alone and sweep-kicks Naruto, sending the poor boy spinning into the wall. He hits it hard and sinks against it, defeated.

"Impressive," I muse softly, paying careful attention to Lee. His attacks are graceful, but powerful.

"Mark my words. None of you will beat me." Sakura's in awe at the strength Lee has, but it's not surprising, really. He IS a year older, and therefore has had time to develop more techniques and increase his strength beyond ours. "I am the greatest fighter among the genin in Konoha village."

"I believe it," I say, and Sakura glares at me.

"This could be fun. I accept your challenge," Sasuke says.

"Told you so," I mutter, giving him an exasperated look. Sakura looks at the clock.

"Don't do it, Sasuke! We have less than half an hour to turn in our applications!" Sasuke takes off, though, and replies,

"This will only take five minutes."

"Yeah, that's what Naruto said," I snap at him irritably.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cheers and I gag. She's so pathetic.

'…_I'm sorry, Gai-Sensei…I may have to break the big rule…I might need…that move!'_ Lee thinks and my heart beats a little faster.

"What move?" I call, but he merely throws me a glance and doesn't answer. Unfortunately, since I've yet to come in contact with him, I can't go too deeply into his memory and pull out the answer. I get a small flash of something – Kagebuyo – but I have no idea what that is. Lee jumps up and goes to spin-kick Sasuke, but he ducks. When Lee comes down, he puts his weight on his side and sweeps around, going to land another kick on Sasuke's face while he's down. Sasuke throws up a block, but Lee's foot goes right under his guard and makes solid contact with Sasuke's jaw. He flies back, hitting the ground hard, and Sakura screams,

"Sasuke!" Both my teammates are completely stunned and confused, and I hear Sasuke's thoughts.

'_How'd he get under my guard? Is this martial arts…or magic? An illusion?'_

"No, it's not," I mutter, helping him to his feet. Lee feels a surge of confidence at the ease he's having landing blows on Sasuke and beckons him to continue.

'_Fine. This may be my chance to get in a little practice using…it.'_ He shuts his eyes for a moment and when he opens them they're crimson with a single black ring, complete with the two small black dots. Sakura stares at him in awe and she's confused as to why Sasuke has it in both eyes. I snort and turn to her.

"Weren't you listening to Sasuke's lecture on the Sharingan eye on our mission to the Land of Waves? The Sharingan eye is a bloodline-trait of the Uchiha clan, dumbass. It runs in Sasuke's blood, just like the Tamashii Senkensha runs in mine."

"Ohh," she says, and her lips curve into a smile as she stares at Sasuke.

'_Oh Sasuke! He's the best! If this is the same kind of kekkei-genkai Kakashi-Sensei has, Sasuke can penetrate the secrets of Dog-Brow's technique! Whether it's genjutsu illusion or ninjutsu fighting technique, there's some kind of magic at work here! And Sasuke's going to take it apart! He's getting stronger all the time! It must be his Uchiha blood! There's no way some slimy runt could beat him!'_ But as Sasuke gets into Lee's range, Lee drops to the floor and sends his foot straight up, slamming into Sasuke's jaw and sending him flying into the air. I wince, rubbing my own jawline, and I feel Sasuke's disbelief.

'_My copy eye couldn't see through his technique! But that means those moves he's using…'_

"Exactly. They're neither martial arts nor illusion," Lee says and he springs into the air. He ends up right behind Sasuke and I feel Naruto wake up. He catches sight of Sasuke and Lee and shouts,

"S-Sasuke!"

"Ohh…Kagebuyo…Shadow of the Dancing Leaf…" Sasuke murmurs and I tilt my head to the side. He knows of this technique? Sasuke's blood starts to race and I get the feeling that this is bad.

"That's right. No ninjutsu. No trickery. My moves are strictly physical. Hard as you may find it to accept, if your Sharingan eye can see to the heart of every ninja art well enough to duplicate it, as it is said to, then you know what I say is true," Lee says. Lee's mind is now completely focused on his move and even at this distance I can pick up how it works. My heart leaps to my throat and I scream,

"Lee, don't do it! You've proved your point, okay? It's not worth the damage to both of you!" Lee flexes his hands and the wrappings on them come undone.

"What?" Sakura shrieks, turning to me. I ignore her and continue.

"Lee, please, don't! Showing off isn't worth frying yourself before these exams! Think about it!" His eyes dart down to me, and I feel the presence of yet another person. I spin around and see a pinwheel flying for Lee. It stabs into the wrappings and pins Lee to the wall. I look back and there sits…a turtle?

"Halt! That's enough, Lee!"

"Holy shit, a talking turtle," I breathe. "A…summoned animal? But who-?" Lee snags on the wrapping and is pulled back to the wall, while Sasuke starts falling freely to the ground. Sakura starts to dart forward, but I beat her to him, catching him before he slams into the floor.

"You done being a pompous ass now?" I ask and before I stop myself, I wipe off the blood running from his lip. His eyes dart up to meet mine and I sigh. "You can't go into these exams thinking you're a badass, Sasuke. There are people here that are stronger than we realize. It would really suck if you died before we even turn in our applications." He rolls his eyes and we turn instead to the talking turtle. That turtle is absolutely ripping Lee a new one while the poor kid is trying to defend himself, though he knows he screwed up big time. Naruto runs over to us and says,

"Uh, Tami…that thing over there…that's a turtle, right?" Sakura rounds on him.

"Obviously!"

"So what's the deal here? Can turtles become ninja?"

"Don't ask stupid questions!" she chastises.

"No, Naruto," I answer calmly, clasping a hand over Sakura's fat, negativity-spewing trap. "He's probably a summon."

"A…summon?" he asks.

"Yeah. Certain shinobi can summon animals at will that can do things for them that the shinobi may be incapable of doing themself. I do believe Kakashi-Sensei can summon a pack of hunting dogs who can trace someone's scent."

"Ohh…" Naruto says.

"It'd be cool if turtles could be ninja, though," I muse. Sasuke's feeling downright disgusted with himself for losing to Lee but I say, "Ah, cheer up, Uchiha, it's not the end of the world."

"I hope you are properly prepared?" the turtle asks Lee.

"Y-yes Sir."

"Well then, he's all yours, Gai-Sensei!" A column of smoke rises from the turtle's shell and when it dissipates we find ourselves staring at what looks like an older version of Lee. Holy shit.

"Ah, the exuberance of youth! You all are full of it!" All my teammates are taken aback and horrified, but I just stand there, grinning.

"Well, talk about hero-worshipping."

"He's got the biggest eyebrows yet!" Sakura cries.

"They're almost…alive…" Naruto says. They continue on until Lee shouts,

"H-hey! Don't make fun of Gai-Sensei!"

"Oh shut up! I don't even know what to make of all the freaks who keep popping up in here!" Naruto retorts and Lee's anger mounts.

"What-?"

"Lee!" his sensei barks, pointing to a place at his side.

"Oh, uh, yes sir?" Lee hurries over and Gai drives his fist viciously into Lee's cheek, sending him flying. Well, at least we know where Lee learned to hit.

"IDIOT!" My teammates gape at the two of them as Lee sits up. His sensei gets to his knee next to him and says, "You…you…"

"Sensei…" Lee says weakly. Out of fucking nowhere, Lee and his sensei both have tears running down their faces, and a second later they embrace.

"That's enough, Lee! Not one more word!"

"Sensei!" Lee sobs, hugging his teacher tightly. Sakura and Naruto are so confused, it's hilarious, and Sasuke's only thought is,

'_I got beaten…by some touchy-feely crybaby!'_

'_But it's so cute to see such reconciliation, no?'_ I ask, smirking at him. He just stares at me and I snicker. _'Sorry. I'm having a good time.'_ Lee and his sensei chit-chat for a few minutes, then he turns to us.

"By the way, how is Kakashi-Sensei? I'm asking you!"

"You know Kakashi-Sensei?" Sasuke asks.

"Nah, he's just asking to be nice," I mutter to him, only to get an elbow in the ribs.

"Do I know him?" Gai says, chuckling. He pauses for a moment, then before I can blink, he's gone. Where the hell-? Behind us! I turn and sure enough, there he is. "I should say so! We're arch rivals!" My teammates jump and spin around. "The score stands at forty-nine to fifty." He grins and winks. "I'm stronger than he is." Sasuke's completely stunned.

'_He's so fast! His speed is even greater than Kakashi-Sensei's. Is he even human?'_

'_Yep. One hundred percent,'_ I reply._ 'And he's not bluffing, either.'_

"I know Lee started this fight, but have pity on his old teacher. For the sake of my own self-respect, forgive him!" Gai says and my teammates are too surprised to answer, so I say,

"Oh, of course. Sasuke and Naruto deserved to get their asses kicked, anyway. Did them both a world of good, Gai-Sensei." He stares down at me – he's got to be at least six feet tall. He's monstrous.

"Ah, you must be Tami-chan, right?" My turn to be completely surprised.

"You know me?" I ask. He nods.

"Kakashi talks about you often. Says you're a real smart aleck."

"Yeah, that'd be me," I reply.

'_And you're the mind reader, right?'_ he asks. I hold out my hand and he takes it.

'_Ta da,'_ I reply.

"Impressive," he says, dropping my hand. He pulls out a kunai knife and tosses it, knocking the pinwheel from the wall. "You and Lee should head up to the classroom now." He then disappears.

"Very good point. Let's go," I say, turning and heading for the door. I throw Lee a final wave. "Nice meeting you, Lee! Good luck!" My teammates hang back, but I quickly head into the next hall to make sure we don't have any other obstacles to cross. Standing at the end of the hall is Kakashi. "Sensei? What're you doing here? Are you one of the proctors, too?"

"Kind of. I just have to make sure the teams are in groups of threes."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because your entire cell has to be here for you to go in," he replies.

"Whoa, you didn't think to tell us before?" I ask.

"I wanted to leave the option for Sakura, in case she didn't want to participate."

"But if she'd dropped out, would we have been allowed in anyway? We would've had a group of three."

"Yes, you three would have been allowed to compete." I swallow, feeling them come up behind me.

"So…are you only allowed a squad of three?" The others stop.

"…No. I have special permission to allow all four of you. It was difficult, since it's technically giving you an advantage, but it wouldn't have been fair for one of you to be forced to return home." I breathe a sigh of relief, as do the others.

"But you said it was up to us if we wanted to participate in the first place. Were you lying?" Sakura asks and I roll my eyes.

"I said what I had to to keep your teammates from pressuring you. Even if you had no interest in applying, one word from Sasuke and you'd have come along and gone through the motions, though your heart wouldn't be in it. If the other three had shown up, I still could have let them pass, but you're all here because you want to be, and I'm very, very proud of you." Wow…no one's ever said they're proud of me before. "Now get in there!" We walk by him and Naruto says,

"Look out everybody, 'cause here we come!" Sakura and Sasuke push the doors open and I'm hit with the minds of over a hundred people. _Holy shit_. As we walk in, a girl's voice screams,

"Sasuke! Where've you been, cutie?" A girl with long, white-blonde hair jumps on Sasuke's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. " I could hardly wait! It's so exciting, seeing you again after all this time!" I snort and say,

"At least Sakura can keep her filthy hands to herself. Sadly, I guess others girls have no sense of moral inhibitions." She looks at me.

"Who are _you_?" she asks, eyeing me guardedly. I roll my eyes.

"Not competition, Miss Priss, so I suggest you not eye me that way. I'd ask your name, but I don't particularly care to know it."

"Ino, you pig! Get your hooves off Sasuke!" Sakura shouts.

"Hello to you, too, Sakura. Still hoping the mutant forehead look will come into fashion, huh? How sweet," Ino replies.

"Oh, so THIS is Ino," I say.

"You know me?" Ino asks.

"Only what Sakura cares to remember about you," I reply.

"Why don't you three save yourselves the embarrassment of flunking this test? Go die, okay?" I turn and see two other boys; one's skinny as a twig with a spiky ponytail and the other is a chubby boy whose sole interest is eating his chips. Until he sets his eyes on me.

"Yow, who is THIS babe?" he asks and my eyes widen, fighting back a laugh.

"ME?" _Babe_? Is this guy for real?

"Never saw you at the academy," he says, and even the lanky boy takes a closer look at me.

"That's because I didn't go to the academy," I reply. I feel a protective nature spark in the back of someone's mind, but I don't bother wondering who it is. Probably Naruto.

"I'm Akimichi Choji, and this is Nara Shikamaru," he says, pointing first to himself then to his friend.

"Sohma Tami, nice to meet you," I reply.

"What're you doing hanging around with those three losers?" Shikamaru asks and I grin.

"I was unfortunate enough to end up on their team."

"Whoa, you're on their squad?"

"Yeah, I was a last-second addition to Squad 7," I answer. These guys are interesting. I've never had anyone call me a babe before. Apparently, Naruto isn't too fond of any of them.

"Well, if it isn't the three stooges!"

"Stop calling us that!" Shikamaru snaps.

"Hey! There you are!" Another squad walks over to us, the front man in a furred hoodie with a shy girl and a boy with dark, circular glasses following behind him. The boy in front seems cocky and two pointed tattoos run down his cheeks. "Looks like the gang's all here."

"Uh…hi…" the girl says softly. Her hair is cut short, stopping at the top of her neck, and her eyes are pale white like Neji's.

"Another Hyuuga, hm?" I ask and her eyes widen.

"Y-yes. H-how did you know?"

"Met a relative of yours earlier. Neji?" She nods.

"H-he's my cousin." The boy beside her is the epitome of level-headed. He seems completely unaffected by the tensions of the room, or by the others surrounding us. The wild-looking boy's eyes dart to me and he grins. Taking a step closer he says,

"Hey there. You new here?"

"If by new you mean living here for the last twelve years, then yeah, I'm new," I say with a cool smirk. "I've lived here my entire life."

"But you didn't go to the academy, did you?" he asks.

"Nope. Home schooled." I look at my teammates. "Are these all your little playmates from school, or am I going to have to tell my life story _again_?"

"Ooo, aren't you a feisty one?" the boy asks and Choji mutters,

"Ah, back off, Kiba, we saw her first."

"Look at that, Uchiha, you're not the only one with a fanclub," I say sarcastically as I smirk at him. I suddenly realize who that earlier feeling of protectiveness is coming from – _him_. It's growing stronger with every boy that approaches me. I quirk an eyebrow at him, but he doesn't seem to notice it.

"Oh, you got stuck on their team? You poor girl," Kiba says. Naruto butts in and the others start going at each other, so I take the opportunity to scan the crowd around us. Everyone here looks so much older than us, and much less…soft. I take a look at the headbands and see people from every country – Amagakure, Sunagakure, Kusagakure…

"Would you guys do us all a favor and shut up?" I turn and see a boy with gray hair and glasses walking toward us. "You three gangs of would-be hotshots are all genin, right? Fresh out of the academy. All wet-behind-the-ears and runny nosed."

"Why is that the stereotypical slur for genin? Shit, get some new insults, would you?" I ask and he raises an eyebrow at me, smirking. He chuckles.

"My my, someone's got a temper."

"I'm just sick of hearing it. That's got to be the third time today I've been called a 'wet-behind-the-ear snot-nose'."

"Yeah, you tell him, Tami-chan!" Naruto says.

"Not that you don't make a very valid point," I say to the older boy. "I'm waiting for those Amagakure boys to jump the loud-mouths, too, but I think it'd be more fulfilling to watch it happen. It'd teach my friends here a valuable lesson about professionalism." He laughs and says,

"You've got spunk. What was your name? Tami?"

"Yeah, and you are?" I ask.

"Name's Kabuto. You kids need to open your eyes. Those guys behind you are from Amagakure, and they've got short fuses. Everyone's on edge, waiting to take the exam. I wanted to give the rest of you a heads-up before someone snaps and beats the crap out of you. But it's probably unavoidable. Like all rookies, you think you already know everything. I remember what it was like."

"Are you saying this is the second time you've applied?" Sakura asks.

"Not second – seventh. Twice a year going on four years now," he replies.

"Smart guy like you? Come on, that makes it almost seem like you're trying to fail," I say coolly. I can sense that something's wrong with this boy. He's acting cool and friendly-like on the outside, but there's something amiss. I'd touch him, but I don't want to risk exposure of my powers in front of all these strangers – not to mention the sea of competition. He snickers.

"This exam's pretty brutal." Sakura and Naruto start kissing up to him, but I simply watch his every move. I can't shake the feeling that this guy's playing us.

'_What's up?'_ Sasuke asks. I slowly inch his way.

'_I don't like him. He's giving me a bad vibe.'_

'_You just met him. He seems to like __you__ well enough…as does __everyone__else__,'_ he adds, throwing a dirty look at the other boys. I smirk at him.

'_Jealous? Welcome to __my__ world. This is what it's like going places with __you__. You're constantly surrounded by women.' _He sighs, knowing I make a point.

'_Why don't you just read his mind, then?'_

'_I can't see deep enough without touching him.'_

'_How is it you can read my mind without touching me?'_

'_Because I've had enough contact with you to the point that I'm very familiar with your mental signature. I can't see too deeply into your mind, but it's strong enough that we can talk without touching.'_ He nods, watching the others. He suddenly takes an interest in the cards in Kabuto's hands.

"Do you also have dossier cards?" he asks.

"Haha, why? Someone you have a particular interest in?" Kabuto's steel gray eyes flicker to me and I have to resist laughing when Sasuke thinks,

'_Do YOU?'_

"I'll admit, these are far from complete, but I've burned a set of dossier cards for the current pool of applicants including your team. If you share any data you have on this person who interests you, I'll be happy to look him up and let you know what I have so far." That's…odd. How does he know the names of all the applicants? How did he know we were coming?

"Gaara from Sunagakure and Rock Lee from Konoha," Sasuke replies.

"You know their names? No sweat then!" He pulls two from his deck and Sasuke says,

"Let me see them."

"Say please, Sasuke," I say sarcastically and I get a glare from his fangirls. Sasuke walks forward and Kabuto shows him the dossier cards. Both Lee and Gaara have impressive backgrounds. When he mentions that Gaara has a B ranked assignment under his belt, I scoff. "So do we," I say and everyone looks at us. Kabuto whistles and says,

"How'd you snag a B ranked assignment?"

"Tricked," I reply. "It was supposed to be a C ranked, but the man we were in charge of fibbed a little on how dangerous the mission was."

"Impressive. You guys are still alive, that has to mean something," Kabuto says.

"Means we're badass," I reply and he chuckles. He then goes on about how the test-takers are the best from their village and that they all have impressive records like Gaara and Lee.

"Anybody besides me suddenly feeling kind of out-classed?" the shy girl asks. Naruto suddenly starts trembling and Sakura feels a little bad for him, but I know better. He's pepping himself up and I just know he's about to do something incredibly moronic. Sure enough, he whips around and points into the crowd.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! And none of you are gonna beat me! You got that?"_ Wow, way to make every single person in this room our enemy, Naruto. _I sigh and lean against the door. What an ass. I can feel Kakashi outside the door, laughing, and Ino glowers at Sakura.

"What's his problem?" Sakura doesn't answer, but I feel her prior concern completely gone.

"Yeah! That felt great!" Naruto says, grinning. Sakura puts him in a headlock while Shikamaru and Kiba mock him.

"What are you blathering about?" Sakura demands and Naruto says,

"I'm telling the truth!" She suddenly realizes there's a room full of dangerous people glaring at us and she quickly releases Naruto, saying,

"Pay no attention to my friend here! He's…you know…a special-ed ninja…" This does nothing to quell the anger of those in the room and I only hope our proctor shows up soon. However, I feel three people get a surge of malicious eagerness and search frantically to find the source. Who-? Then I see three people move. They dart through the crowd and I hurry to get a lock on their brains. One, two…and three. One of them leaps into the air, jumping over a row of other examinees and throwing a set of kunai knives toward Kabuto. He skids back and the second one, a hunched figure with a fur cape-looking thing, darts forward from the crowd. He goes after Kabuto and their third member, a girl with really long hair, follows his lead. I make my move and do a quick set of handseals, the ones for the paralysis jutsu. I dart forward and she doesn't even see me. I put my hand on her forehead and she immediately goes completely rigid. She falls to the floor and I follow her down, keeping in contact the entire time. My vision suddenly blurs and I feel sick. Turning, I watch Kabuto puke, though I don't feel anything else to make him do so. _That's weird._ My ears hurt, though, so I wonder if that has something to do with it. I take a look at the girl's headband – she's from Otogakure.

"Where's Kin?" one of them asks and they look around for her. I get to my feet, clutching her wrist instead. They look at me, surprised, and I say,

"What's got your panties in a twist? You think you can attack Konoha ninja and just expect to get away with it? You're as thick as that Sunagakure boy."

"What did you do to Kin?" he asks, stepping toward me menacingly.

"I'd watch the tone if you want her back unscathed," I say coldly. "Now, ready to sit your ass down and behave like a good little boy?"

"Why you little-!" He takes a running start at me, but there's a sudden cloud on the other side of the room and a harsh voice barks,

"Would everybody please just shut up?" The smoke clears and there stand the proctors and, I'm guessing, the main examiner. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Morino Ibiki. I'm the proctor and chief examiner for the first part of the exam." He points to us in the back. "You – the kids from Otogakure! You can't carry on any way you please when the exam's about to start! Or do you want to be disqualified?"

"Sorry, Sir. It's our first exam. Guess we got a little carried away," the hunched boy murmurs in an odd hiss. I drop the girl's wrist and she slowly staggers to her feet.

"What did you do to me?" she mutters, glaring at me.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I growl in return. She walks back to her teammates and Ibiki says,

"From this point forward, there will be no more fighting without the express permission of the examining officer. And even then, anything that endangers another applicant's life is strictly forbidden. Any of you little piglets that break that rule are out. No second chances. Got that?" The dark-haired Otogakure genin snorts and says,

"So this is a test for little girly men?" The proctors chuckle amongst themselves, but no one answers.

"As you wish. The first part of the exam is about to commence. Turn in your written applications, take one of these seating assignment cards, and report directly to the seat indicated. When everyone's seated, we'll hand out the written part of the exam." A hush falls over the room for a moment, then Naruto freaks.

"A-a PAPER TEST?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

One by one we shuffle forward, turn in our applications, and take a card. The room we walk into is decently spacious, and I look down at my number. Seat 17. I walk over to it and when I'm there I turn around to look at where my teammates are. Naruto's not far from me, a few seats down, but Sakura's a few rows back and Sasuke's even farther. Sasuke feels my gaze and he throws me a glance.

'_What do you think?' _he asks.

'_Let's hope against hope Naruto isn't going to fuck us over.'_ He sighs and sinks into his chair. I do the same and face forward, shutting my eyes as the noise of chatty minds invades my brain.

'_Oh man, I'm awful at test taking.'_

'_Please, I've got this in the bag.'_

'_My teammates are dumbasses, but as long as I pass, we're bound to get in, right?'_

'_I hope the questions aren't that hard. I didn't study for a written test!' _I smirk at all the concerns, but the tension is beginning to make my knees shake. Someone sits down next to me and he must've noticed because he says,

"Nervous?" I open my eyes and look up at him. He's wearing a pair of square-rimmed glasses and a black bandana. He gives me a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, but I return it.

"Oh, a little bit. It's my first time taking the exam; I'm not sure what to expect."

"It's a tough one, alright, but if you're tough, you'll probably be able to pass."

"And smart?" I pose, smirking at him. He returns it, whole-heartedly this time, and says,

"Yeah, doesn't hurt to be smart."

'_Smart enough to know the point of this test,'_ he thinks. I hold out my hand.

"Sohma Tami." He takes it and I dig into his mind. He's already a Chunin, and his purpose here is to…provide the right answers. He knows the answers to this test, and apparently, I'm supposed to cheat off of him for this. It's not a test of our knowledge – it's a test of our prowess at gathering information without being caught. He shakes my hand and says,

"Chokichi Benjiro."

"So, have you taken this exam before?" I ask innocently.

"Twice," he replies. I nod and shut my mouth as Ibiki strides to the front of the room. He picks up a piece of chalk and taps it on the board as he says,

"Papers face down until I give the signal. Now listen up. There are a few big rules that pertain to this first test. I'll write them on the blackboard and explain them all, but I'm not taking questions, so listen carefully. I will only say this once."

"Rules?" Sakura asks and I roll my eyes. Of course there are rules. What'd she think this was going to be, an easy little free-for-all?

"Rule number one," Ibiki continues, as if he hadn't heard her. "Everyone starts out with ten points. The test has ten questions, each worth one point. For each question you get wrong, we subtract one point. Get all ten right, and you retain all ten points. But, for example, if you answer three questions incorrectly, we take your ten points, subtract a point for every wrong answer, and you end up with seven points." From down the row, I can hear Naruto think,

'_In other words, if I get all ten questions wrong, I'll end up with no points at all!'_ I sigh and cover my eyes with my hand. Jeez…it's like he's planning to fail!

"Rule two! This written test is still a team event. Passing or failing will be determined by the sum of the points held by all three members of the team. The object is for each team to have as few deductions as possible from its joint thirty point total." Pain erupts on my forehead as I feel Sakura slam her head into the table. She sits up and I hear her say,

"Wait a second! The whole concept of the starting points and the deductions is hard enough to follow, but what is this team total you're talking about?" I groan. Could my teammates be any more fucking dumb? The concepts are very simple to follow – we're pretty much screwed.

"Did you not hear the part about no questions?" Ibiki barks in reply. "We have our reasons. Shut up and listen. You might learn something. The next bit is crucial. Rule number three. If, during the course of the exam, a candidate does anything out of the ordinary – in other words, anything that leads a proctor to determine that he or she has cheated – we subtract two points from each member of the cheater's team." My eyes widen as I see the way they've set up the test. The boy next to me, the Chunin, is nothing but calm, of course, but I feel all of my teammates panic. One of the proctors smirks and says,

"I'll be looking over your shoulder when you least expect it."

"If you let the proctors catch you cheating, you'll bring yourself and your friends down! If you aspire to be Chunin, if you want to be the best shinobi you can be, then you better start acting like you already are!" Ooo, sneaky way of wording it. Several of the people in the room, Naruto including, still aren't seeing it. Even Sasuke hasn't figured it out. If within twenty minutes of the test's start, he doesn't realize it, I'll tell _him_, at least. That way we can hold on to at least his points, and Sakura's a hot-shot smart ass, so she's fine…but I don't think Naruto needs the incentive to make a lousy attempt at cheating if it's just going to get us kicked out. "One more thing," Ibiki adds. "If any individual loses all ten of his or her points, that entire cell, regardless of how the other two members do…will be disqualified!" Now I slam _my_ head into the table. Well, FUCK. Chokichi chuckles.

"Had your hopes up?"

"Yeah, but why make it easy on us?" I mutter, lifting my head just enough to be propped up on my chin. Naruto's in complete terror now, the pressure really on. If the point is to cheat, something tells me that these questions aren't going to be a cakewalk.

"You have one hour…starting…NOW." I flip my test over and pick up my pencil. Chokichi immediately starts writing answers, taking his time, and from the contact from earlier I can pick up everything clear as a bell. I match him precisely, and as I write I also try to pick up how he's answering them. Most of this is from memory, but I watch him calculate the math as he goes through the questions. He's extremely smart, regardless of whether or not the answers are memorized. We're done within twenty-five minutes because he'd spent a little time bantering, trying to allow whoever's copying him to finish writing. This brings an amused smile to my lips. At least he's a gentleman about it. I continue to pretend to write after he finishes, but really I just doodle along the bottom of my test. I look down at the bottom right-hand side of the sheet.

Question Number Ten. This question will not be provided until forty-five minutes into the exam. At that time, please answer the proctor's question to the best of your ability.

O…kaaay…That's weird. Oh well, if I need to, my buddy Chokichi here will give me a hand and I can pass it to the other three.

'_You're finished?'_ Sasuke asks.

'_Yeah. Read me your answers. I'm sitting next to a Chunin and I copied his work, so I can make sure yours are right.'_ He reads them off to me and they're all right, thank goodness. I let my gaze dart down the aisle to Naruto, whose mood hasn't improved at all. In fact, I think it's gotten worse. One of the proctors slides a kunai knife from his pouch and twists it in his hand for a second before tossing it. It flies right by Naruto's cheek and my heart pounds. _Naruto, you didn't…_ It goes through the test of the boy behind him, who yelps.

"Wh-what was that for?" he shouts, getting to his feet. The proctor smirks and replies,

"That's five strikes…and you're out."

"N…no way!" the boy says, dumbstruck. I look into his mind and watch his miserable, sloppy cheating attempts. Wow, he really thought he wasn't going to get caught with antics like that?

"Take your teammates with you. Out of this classroom. Now." Two other examinees stand and they all walk out the door. I swallow hard as I feel Naruto's fresh resolution to not cheat. I don't know if that's a blessing or not. I then notice something…I can feel someone's bashfulness and…their heart is beating faster, but not in a panicked way…they're…I look down the row again only to see Naruto looking at Hinata. He murmurs something to her, so I break into her mind. Oh wow…that's unexpected. She's got a super crush on Naruto. I'd definitely have to say 'aww' if we weren't testing. He, of course, is completely and utterly oblivious of this; he barely even realizes she's there half the time. Because I'm in her head, I know what she's doing – she's actually offering Naruto her answers. _NO, Naruto, that's a sure-fire way to get our asses kicked out of here! Offered or not, cheating is cheating! _But he…amazingly…refuses. I slowly exhale, leaning back in my chair.

"Huh. Cute drawings." I look at the boy next to me, whose eyes are on the little stick figures I'd drawn along the bottom of my paper. "Why is one of them chopping another in half with an axe?"

"Because he has anger problems," I mutter in reply. I then smirk and say, "Careful, they might think you're cheating." He rolls his eyes and says,

"They know I'm not."

"Because you're already a Chunin," I say and his eyes widen.

"How did you know that?" he asks.

"You came in here too calmly," I lie. Ick, I hate lying. But again, the freaking _walls_ have ears in here… He chuckles and says,

"I'll have to act more panicked next time." I nod.

"Got to be more convincing. Or maybe I'm _too_ smart." He snickers once more and I take a peek back into Naruto's mind. He still isn't cheating, and he hasn't written down a single answer. He hasn't even tried.

'_Sasuke, Naruto hasn't figured out the point of the test – the cheating thing. Should I tell him, or do you want to hope that he can get the tenth question right? Because I don't know how good his ability to cheat is.' _Sasuke debates this for a moment, chewing the tip of his thumb lightly.

'_I'm not sure. He's not very stealthy, that's for sure, but perhaps cheating is one of the few things he's learned to do well.'_

'_Ask Sakura?'_ I suggest. He snorts but says,

'_Very well.'_ I find her mind amongst the crowd of others, but oddly, it's like she's unconscious. Instead of her voice, I hear…Ino's.

'_Have to memorize this quickly, before someone catches me! Next I'll possess Shikamaru and Choji, and write the answers on their test papers! Clever little me!'_

'_Sorry to stop you from patting yourself on the back, Ino, but __get__the__hell__out__ of Sakura's head,'_ I say and I make a quick set of seals beneath the table. I shut my eyes and focus on Sakura's mind alone. Concentrating, I separate Ino's consciousness from Sakura's and work to push Ino's out. It's not a difficult task, because such a jutsu as Ino's is difficult to maintain, especially if the new being is an unwelcomed one. A person's brain automatically works to reject foreign entities, which makes level four of my kekkei-genkai difficult to master. I force her out and Sakura slowly comes to.

'_Wha…what just happened?'_

'_Ino possessed you. You're welcome,'_ I say.

'_How did she do that?'_ Sakura asks, confused and still a tad groggy.

'_No idea, and that isn't important. Look, Naruto hasn't figured out the purpose of the test yet, and neither Sasuke nor I know if he's able to cheat without being caught. Can he? Or should we just give him the answers?'_

'_Wait, why would you encourage him to cheat?'_ I softly groan. She didn't realize it either?

'…_Never mind.'_ I reopen my eyes and lean against my chair. I should probably just give Naruto the answers, but I hate doing that. How is he going to become Hokage if he can't even gather information himself?

"On your feet, Number 102. You fail." A boy in the back gets up, along with his teammates, and they stalk out. Well, they hung on a long time.

"You too, Number 23. You're out!"

"Number 43 and Number 27…start walking." I'm stunned by how many teams are suddenly being dropped. They'd been doing well until this point. But perhaps they'd simply been spacing out their cheating attempts. I hear a boy a few rows back slam his hand against his desk as he stands and I turn to watch.

"Cheated five times? Me? What proof do you have? How could you possibly watch this many students at once?" One of the proctors jumps up and catches the loud-mouth by the neck, driving him into the wall on the other side of the room.

"Listen up and listen good. We proctors are the elite. Even in a group as skilled as the one gathered here today, we are far and away the best. We miss nothing! You got that, kids?" He drops his voice to a frightening hiss and says, "You feel this? Well, I'm as skilled as I am powerful!" Several in the room feel chills run down their spines. The proctor releases the boy, who slides down the wall and sits there in terror. His teammates walk to his side and heave him to his feet, helping him out the door. The room is then completely silent, save for the scratching of pencils on paper. The quiet doesn't last long, though, before Ibiki says,

"Get ready for the tenth question!" Naruto swallows hard and I feel my other two teammates tense up. Everyone in the room seems to brace themselves, expecting the worst. "And before we get to the question itself, I'm adding one more rule." Okay, really? What could he possibly want from us now? Someone reenters the room and Ibiki says, "Heh…looks like you're in luck. The time you've spent playing with dolls hasn't been completely wasted. Don't worry about it. Sit down." Whoever it is walks to his seat and Ibiki continues. "Let me explain. This rule is absolute. First, you must choose whether to accept or reject this question."

"Ch-choose?" I recognize that voice; it's the blonde Suna genin from yesterday. "What happens if someone doesn't accept the question?"

"If you reject the question and don't even try to answer it, you'll lose all your points immediately and fail. And both of your teammates will fail right along with you."

"Say what?" someone shouts, followed by another who screams,

"Then why would anyone choose to reject it?"

"Because…of the other rule," Ibiki says slowly. I feel a sick, sadistic pleasure in the pit of his chest, though there's nothing on his face to give it away. Oh shit… "If you try to answer the question…and you get it wrong…you will never be permitted to apply for the Chunin exams again. Not ever."

"You can't be serious! That's ridiculous! There are ninja here who've sat for the Chunin exams more than once! We know there are!" Kiba yells, getting to his feet. The outrage in the room is practically tangible. Ibiki gives him a nasty smirk and says,

"Just your rotten luck. I wasn't making the rules in past years. I am now. I've been upfront with you. You can take a failing grade now and try again later. Anyone who has doubts would be smart to reject the tenth question now. Come back and apply next year, and the year after that." There's a purely evil, unpitying look in his eyes that I haven't seen until this point.

"Yeesh, is he always like this?" I murmur to Chokichi. He chuckles.

"Yeah, pretty much. He's known among the Jonin elite as a sadist; he's infamous for being the head of the torture and interrogation corps. He's a real hard-ass." I wince.

"Yeah, no wonder," I mutter. Ibiki pauses a moment, then says,

"Ready? Then let's begin. Those who choose not to accept should raise their hands. Once their number has been confirmed, they will leave the room." At first, there's silence, except for the incessant panic and anxiety in the chest of everyone present. Naruto's having a borderline meltdown a few seats down, throwing around the idea of quitting. I look up at Ibiki and get a glimpse into his mind. I look around for a tenth question, but all he's thinking about is who will stay and who will quit. Why does that make such a big deal? Where's the tenth question? He counts the number of teams still here and I hear the thought that goes through his head.

'_Anko won't be happy if I pass nearly one hundred people…but if they're ballsy enough to take the chance of failing, there's no way I can fail them. That is, after all, the purpose of the tenth "question"…' _That IT? The tenth question is whether or not you're brave enough to stay? Damn, this guy IS a sadist! Someone behind me says,

"I-I…I quit! I'm rejecting the question!"

'_Ah, the first to crack,'_ Ibiki thinks brightly. What an ass. Oh well, the less competition, the better.

"Number 50, failed! Number 130, Number 111, you fail right along with him!" The three of them take their leave, and the pansy's teammates aren't too happy with him.

"M-Me too!" someone else says.

'_And now they drop like flies,'_ Ibiki thinks, as do several of the proctors.

"Me too…"

"I'm sorry, guys!"

"I quit, too!"

"Me too…" At least seven more teams walk out, dropping the total to twenty-six teams.

'_Naruto…why don't you raise your hand?'_ Sakura thinks._ 'He's always going on about "Lord Hokage" this and "Hokage" that…I'm sorry, Naruto…Your dream may be crazy, but…I don't want it taken away from you forever…' _She starts to raise her hand, but I quickly project to her,

'_STOP.'_ She freezes.

'_B-but-!'_

'_Naruto's a big enough boy to make decisions for himself. If he wants to drop out, he'll raise his hand. He's a klutz and an over-all nutcase, but he's always come out on top, hasn't he? He knows what he's doing. Have a little faith.' _She doesn't reply, but I feel that she understands my order. I look down the row at Naruto, and he slowly raises a trembling hand. At first, I'm shocked, then I realize the emotion that's coursing through him – it's not fear, it's determination. As usual, he's not going down without a fight. He brings it down on the table and screams,

"Never underestimate me! I don't quit, and I won't run! I'll accept your stupid question! Even if I risk ending up a rookie for the rest of my life, I'll still become Lord Hokage, even if I can only make it by pure stubbornness. I don't care! I'm not afraid of you!" Sasuke and Sakura are absolutely incredulous, but relieved.

'_He…never even gave us a thought,'_ Sasuke thinks.

'_He did,'_ I correct him. _'But you know Naruto. He gets a thought, gets distracted, and poof – thought is gone._' He chuckles.

"_But he certainly does have guts.'_

'_And it's a good thing that's all this question requires,_' I say, relaxing.

'_What?'_ I smirk.

'_Watch.'_

"I'll ask you one last time. This is a decision that could affect the rest of your life. Quit now, while you still have a chance."

"I never go back on my word. That's my shinobi way!" Naruto asserts emphatically. Ibiki surveys the group and I too notice that no one is feeling doubtful anymore. Naruto's confidence was, in a word, inspiring.

"Good call. So, everyone who is still here…" He stops for dramatic effect, and it feels like the whole room takes a breath and holds it. Ibiki smirks and finishes, "You just passed the first exam!"

"What do you mean, passed? When did that happen? What about the tenth question?" Sakura asks and I roll my eyes, leaning back in my chair and exhaling slowly. The tension is finally letting up, which is nice. My knees have stopped trembling, at least. Chokichi chuckles and says,

"You act like you expected that all along." I open one eye and look at him.

"I've just come to trust in my dumbass teammate's sixth sense. He's usually right, at least in an indirect way, about things, so when he said he was going to go for it, I relaxed."

"Uh huh," he says, also leaning back in his chair. I give him a sweet, innocent, hurt look and say,

"What, don't believe me?" He arches an eyebrow at me and says,

"That _really_ makes it hard to believe you." Ibiki explains the test to the other participants while I relax, and I only get snippets of the conversation.

'_Getting to know your little Chunin friend?'_ Sasuke asks and I feel the slightest flare of envy spark in him again. I smirk.

'_I sure am. He's a rather sweet guy, you know. And he's funny.'_

'_And you're telling me this because-?'_ But his aloof talk is only to mask that very spark, and in the back of his mind he knows I feel it.

'_Just letting you know,'_ I reply coolly and I throw a glance at him. He stares back at me and I surprisingly…have a hard time tearing my gaze from him. When'd he get so _good-looking_? He's always been attractive, but I've been so overly concerned with how much of a downright asshole he is that I don't think I've ever _really_ paid attention to him before. There's so much of his older brother in his expressions, probably more than he'd like to admit. I also see a lot of his mom in his features, though not too much of his father. Itachi seemed to take after him more, especially with those lines that ran down his face.

'_What?'_ he finally asks.

'_I'm just…seeing a lot of your mother in you. I didn't notice before how much you take after her,_' I reply, which isn't a lie. His eyes widen a little.

'_R-really? You can actually tell?'_

'_Yeah. It's not hard. You have her eyes, her cheekbones, her lips…I don't see too much of your father, though.'_ He thinks back to his parents, recalling their features with sharp jabs of grief and pain attached to them. I frown as I feel it, feeling sympathy for him. A window on the left side of the room suddenly shatters and I spin back around in my seat as a ball of black comes flying in. The person within the swirling mass tosses kunai knives in separate directions and pin the black tarp to the ceiling. The woman then gets to her feet.

"None of you are in any position to celebrate!" I read the white writing on her banner – newly arrived second chief examination officer Mitarashi Anko. "I'm the second chief examination officer Mitarashi Anko. Time's a-wastin', people! Let's go!" She punches the air energetically and roars "Follow me!" However, not one of us moves. Ibiki pokes his head out from behind the tarp and says,

"Can't you sense the mood in here?" Anko takes a look out at us and says,

"Seventy-eight of you are still here? Ibiki!" she gripes, turning to him. "You passed twenty-six teams? Obviously, you went too easy on them!"

"This year we have applicants of exceptional caliber," he replies.

"Yeah, right," she says, entirely unconvinced. "I'll cut the number by half before the next test is done." Several people swallow hard. She'll halve the number of passing teams before the second test is through? Damn, she's good. I thought we'd had it tough with the 'sadist'. "Ooh! I get charged up just thinking about it. I'll explain things in detail as soon as we move to our next location. Follow me!" She leads the way and we stand, following her. Before I get far from my seat, someone grabs my hand and I turn back. It's Chokichi. He smirks.

"Good luck, Tami. I'll be rooting for you." I grin and say,

"Thanks, Chokichi. Nice to know I made a good impression, regardless of the fact that I cheated off your test." He chuckles and gives my hand a gentle squeeze before releasing me. I then walk off to catch up with my teammates. Naruto waited for me and as I get close he gives me a devilish grin.

"Ooo, Tamiii…Got yourself a boyfrieeend," he teases as we walk over toward the others. Sasuke's ears catch Naruto's little taunt and he turns back to us. I chuckle and say,

"Naruto, if I counted everyone who hits on me or says something remotely polite as my boyfriend, I'd have about ten of them now." He snickers and says,

"But that guy actually grabbed your hand. He must really like you."

"It's my charming personality," I reply, giving him a huge, fake grin.

"Oh please," Sakura spits. "You're about as charming as a snake."

"What's wrong with snakes?" I ask. "They're kind of cute, once you get past the fangs and venom."

"Only you would think that!" Sakura says. "Snakes are gross! They're slimy and scaly and their tongues are so weird!"

"Actually, most snakes aren't slimy at all," I state matter-of-factly. "Most are smooth, yes, and the light shining on their scales gives them the appearance of being wet, but they're not slimy." To this, she has no comment or retort. I win.

'_So, I suppose you did get nice and acquainted with that Chunin,'_ Sasuke says conversationally._ 'Did he tell you his name?'_ I fight down a grin and reply,

'_I did, but I'm afraid that if I give it to you, you'll hunt him down.'_

'_Why would I do that?'_ he asks.

'_Because of how jealous you are,'_ I reply. _'And don't even try to deny it, because I can feel that it's there. It has been since we arrived.'_ He falls to silent brooding and I gently nudge him. _'Don't be such a sourpuss. I'm kind of…flattered by it.'_

'_And that's exactly what I want – for you to feel flattered,'_ he says sarcastically, but his mood lifts a little. Naruto then attracts my attention by saying,

"So, Tami, is that guy going to help in any other tests?"

"I don't know. He didn't say," I reply. "But then, I didn't ask. Didn't want to come across as a stalker, or desperate." We continue on and soon enough, we find ourselves in front of a huge, fenced-in forest. What is this place? It's freaking spine-chilling. Anko turns to face us and says,

"This is the arena for the second exam – Training Ground 44. Also known as…the Forest of Death!" Mmm, charming. Can't wait. Sakura shivers and says,

"It looks like a pretty creepy place." Anko chuckles.

"You're about to find out first-hand why they call this the Forest of Death!"

"Great," I mutter, staring up into the trees. You can barely see beyond the second layer, it's so dark beneath the canopy. The monstrous trees block out almost all sunlight and who knows what kind of crazy ass animals they've put in there? Naruto, though, has to be a jackass about it…He puts his hands on his hips and swings them as he mocks her.

"Ooo, 'you're about to find out first-hand why they call it the Forest of Death'!" He then jabs a finger at her and says, "Like that's really going to scare us! You're trying to psych us out, and I'm not gonna fall for it!" Anko grins and says,

"Oh really? You're pretty cocky, huh?" A kunai slides down into her hand and she flicks her wrist, sending the kunai flying right past Naruto's cheek and grazing it. The skin splits and I wince, feeling the blood ooze to the surface and down his cheek. In an instant she's behind him and she runs her tongue up his face. Wow, THAT'S not at ALL creepy. "Heh. Your kind are always the first to go. Spilling all that rich, red, lovely, luscious blood…" She feels the man behind her move as I do and another kunai falls into her hand. Before she can turn, though, he's right next to her, with her kunai in his…tongue? Uuuugh! What a creeper!

"Your kunai knife," he says in a hiss. "I believe you dropped it."

"Gee…thanks," she says, taking it from him. Gross. That tongue is unbelievably long – at least two feet. She turns to get a better look at him and says, "Don't just stand behind me radiating bloodlust…unless you're in a hurry to die."

"I'll try to keep it under control," he retorts. "But the sight of warm, fresh blood really makes me crazy. And I was already revved up from losing a strand of my precious hair…"

"Sorry about that," Anko apologizes, but it doesn't sound too heartfelt. He turns and stalks back to his teammates, who are just as eerie as he is. "Looks like we have a hot-blooded team on our hands this time out! Heh, should be fun…"

'_We're hot-blooded…and she's blood-thirsty!'_ Naruto thinks, wiping off his cheek with his palm.

"Before we start the second exam, there's something I have to hand out." She holds up a thick stack of papers and along the top is printed the words 'Consent Form'. "They're consent forms. Everybody has to sign one." Naruto looks up at them and asks,

"Why?"

"We want all the details covered before the first deaths occur. Sign before you go in, so we can't be held liable. You wouldn't want me to get in trouble, would you?" she asks sweetly.

"Huh. I figured it was a given that if someone died, you couldn't be blamed," I say. "After all, we signed up to take the exams on our free will anyway."

"Unfortunately not," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "First, I'll explain what the second exam entails. Then you can sign the forms." She goes through a nice, brief explanation of the second exam's mission, then sends the forms around. I pull out the tiny pencil I also keep in my shuriken pouch and say,

"Sasuke, turn around and let me use you." Several people turn in my direction, stunned expressions on their faces. Okay, that didn't come out _exactly_ as I'd meant, but it's funny to see their reactions. Sasuke simply stands there, confused, so I roll my eyes and say, "Your back, dumbass." He nods and I put my form against his back, signing the line at the bottom. I then hand him the pencil and turn around.

"Do you always carry a pencil with you?" he asks as he signs his form.

"Usually, yes," I say. "You never know when you'll need one. Like now, for instance."

"I guess that makes sense," he admits, handing it back to me. I hand it to Naruto and turn around. He signs it quickly, then hands it to Sakura.

"U-um, Sasuke, may I-?" she stutters, blushing. He rolls his eyes and turns around for her. She signs, then we walk over to the table. We turn in our forms and the proctor hands Naruto a white Heaven scroll. Once everyone gets their scroll, I take another look at the crowd. Who's got what…?

"Sasuke, lend me your shoulder," I say, propping my elbow against him. "I'm feeling tired already," I say sarcastically. I sink against him, letting my head sink and my eyes close.

'_What're you doing?'_ he asks.

'_Finding out who has what without making it obvious. Shh, let me concentrate,_' I reply and he falls silent. I sift through the seventy-four people and find the minds of the twenty-five others who are holding scrolls. Let's see…Earth, earth…One by one I pick out our targets; one of them being a fellow rookie squad, with ten teams from Konoha carrying Earth scrolls total.

"Got any qualms in taking a scroll from another rookie squad?" I ask my teammates. "If we get in too deep, I know who'll have the one we need, assuming they don't lose it before we get them."

"Oh, is it Ino's team?" Sakura asks eagerly. I roll my eyes and say,

"Let's just wait until we're in hot water to worry about it."

"Do you really think we can take some of those other guys, though?" Naruto asks, shooting an uneasy glance at the competition.

"With you, Naruto, anything's possible," I reply with a grin.

"Alright, everyone, follow your proctors to your respective gates!" Anko yells. "When the signal sounds in half an hour, the exam will begin!" We follow ours around the perimeter to gate twelve. Kiba's team, Choji's team, and the Otonin from before walk by us toward their own gates. Kiba whistles at me on his way by and Choji brightly calls,

"Hey Tami!" as he passes, earning glares from Naruto and another tally on the hate list from Sasuke. I look back down the other way and see Gaara and his squad six gates down.

"There's your boy, Sasuke," I mutter to him, pointing in Gaara's direction. He looks and I feel a rise in his adrenaline.

"What color scroll do they have?" he asks and I say,

"Easy, Sasuke. Might want to look before you leap with this one," I warn. "He's stronger than he looks. Why else would his older teammates be wary of him, to the point of fear?" He nods, but the desire for a fight lingers in his system.

'_Please?'_ He looks at me and I feel that urge diminish when he sees the look on my face. _'Sasuke, we can't lose you. Even if he doesn't kill you, if he maims you to the point of being useless, even for a day or two… We can't take that risk. Sakura will go into hysterics, Naruto will probably challenge Gaara for the sake of your honor, and I…' _My voice trails off and he prompts,

'_What?'_ I avert my gaze, looking out into the woods instead.

'_I don't know how well I'll be able to handle you and Naruto down, with only Sakura to talk to. I might kill her.'_

'_That's not what you were going to say, was it?'_ he asks and I want to shrink under his intense gaze.

'_No, not exactly, but nevertheless, it's true. I couldn't stand having to deal with only her for a day straight, let alone two.'_

'_Tami-'_ he starts, but we hear Anko's voice yell,

"Part two of the Chunin selection exams begins…NOW!" We shoot into the woods and it suddenly feels like all those minds have been muffled, purely because of the denseness of the forest. I head for the nearest tree and run up the trunk, climbing up into the higher branches.

"Tami! What're you doing?" Naruto shouts.

'_Shut up, moron! I'm checking to see if there's anyone near us yet!'_ I retort, shutting my eyes. I make a quick scan, but as of now, we're not close enough to anyone for us to be in immediate danger, so I hurry back down.

"Nothing yet, and we should be fine to continue straight for another half-mile or so, at least."

"Why'd you have to walk up there?" Sakura asks.

"The trees make it harder for me to listen to people's minds, so I have to get high enough to catch any updrafts I can," I reply and I start off. Once they're with me, I turn around and walk backwards.

"Why are you doing that?" Sakura asks, throwing me an irritated glance.

"I'm watching our asses," I reply, then I decide to have a little fun with her, since she felt the need to act superior. "Most of all Sasuke's. Have you seen the way his shorts fit on him? Yummy." Her jaw drops and Sasuke blushes, but Naruto busts up.

"W-wow, Tami. That was pretty…uh…_blunt_."

"I found it necessary," I reply. "I'm entitled to abuse my teammates at least a little and use them for my humor." Sakura glares at me, then faces forward. However, we don't get far before a scream rings through the trees and reaches our ears. Chills go down Sakura's spine and she says,

"Did you guys hear someone…scream?" We nod, looking behind us, the source of the noise. "This place is creeping me out!" she cries, shuddering.

"I'm telling you, Sakura, it's no big deal." It suddenly comes to his attention that his bladder is full to bursting and he says, "Uh…I gotta take a leak." I burst into laughter and say,

"Now who's blunt?" Sakura, of course, has to react with her fists. She punches Naruto in the back of the head and screams,

"Not in front of me, bozo! I'm a lady! Use the bushes!" But in her mind I hear,

'_If it were Sasuke, on the other hand…heh-heh-heh…'_

"Wow, Sakura, you're that eager to see Sasuke with his clothes off?" I ask and both my remaining teammates flush a deep scarlet.

"You just can't resist, can you?" she snaps.

"Nope. I occasionally have very little impulse control," I reply. "Occasionally meaning anything that pertains to humiliating you." Her anger is getting dangerously high, combined with her shaky nerves, so I figure that's probably enough…for now. Naruto rejoins us a moment later, but I instantly know something's wrong.

'_Sasuke, red light,'_ I say and he can tell my meaning exactly. He scans Naruto quickly and his sharp eyes immediately zoom in on this guy's flaws.

"Oh man! What a relief! Feelin' good now!" 'Naruto' says.

"I told you, you're in the presence of a lady! Don't be vul-!" POW! Sasuke backhands the imposter so hard, I can almost feel his teeth rattle in his gums.

"Nice shot," I say, grinning.

"S-Sasuke! I appreciate the chivalry, but that was way over the top!" Sakura says and I scoff, throwing her a dirty look.

"You didn't notice? Sasuke prides you on being the best at understanding the art of illusion, but this dumbass can't even take Naruto's form right and you miss it?" Her eyes widen and she stutters,

"W-what?"

"Wh-what was that for?" 'Naruto' gripes.

"What have you done with Naruto?" Sasuke asks, staring him down.

"Hello! I'm right in front of you – bleeding!" he replies, wiping blood from his lip.

"You're wearing your shuriken on your left thigh – Naruto's right-handed. And you forgot that cut that Naruto got from the proctor just before the exam. You're even worse at disguise spells than the real Naruto!"

"Jeez, is Naruto really that bad?" I ask.

"Yeah," Sakura answers. The imposter drops the illusion and says,

"So you've forced me to come clean, so why don't you do the same? Which of you three has the scroll?" We don't answer; we just get on the defensive. "Unfortunately, you've forced me to be direct!" He takes a running start at Sakura, but I dart in front of her, pushing her back. I give Sasuke the okay once we're out of range and he makes a quick set of seals, then puts his hand to his mouth. He does his Phoenix Flower Jutsu perfectly, but the imposter's quick. He goes for Sasuke and they shoot upwards into the trees. I start to take off, but when I tug on Sakura's hand to pull her with me, she doesn't move. I spin around and snap,

"Sakura, wake up! Come on, we have to stay with Sasuke!" She nods and the two of us take off, following them. From ahead of us, I hear Naruto scream,

"Sasuke!" and I release Sakura.

"Jump down and find him. I'll follow Sasuke." She nods, following orders for once, and now that I'm rid of her I pick up my pace. Two kunai knives fly by and I hear the imposter yell,

"You left an opening – lucky me!" My eyes dart to the direction they'd flown in and see Sasuke hanging beneath the branch, his chakra in his feet and palms. He suddenly notices the fuses on the kunai – letter bombs.

"Sasuke, MOVE!" I yell and he barely manages to kick off before they explode. The imposter lands on the branch in front of me and I quickly dart forward, thankful for the opening HE left. Landing behind him, I slap my hands over his ears, discombobulating him. However, before I can do more, he leaps, landing clumsily on his feet behind Sasuke.

"Better and better. One false move and I'll kill you. Now hand over the scroll!" But he can barely even stand, his balance is so off.

"He's lying!" I shout, jumping down after him. I sense Naruto's mind behind me and he shouts,

"Tami, move!" I step to the side as two kunai fly past me, toward the imposter, but he spots them and jumps up. "You're not getting away that easy!" Naruto yells and Sasuke catches the kunai on the bottom of his foot with his chakra. He's very creative. Taking aim, he swings his leg around and kicks the knife toward the imposter, who's going straight up still. Sasuke leaps up after him and catches the kunai, driving it into the imposter's arm. Blood sprays from the wound and Sasuke yells,

"He gave me no choice! Now move! We don't know where his friends are! You got that? Keep standing there and you'll end up dead!" I run back to the other two and say,

"Come on."

"But Sasuke-!" Sakura says.

"-Will be fine, but we need to get out of here before someone else arrives. Our fight hasn't exactly been quiet, now come on." I pull them further into the woods and once we're at least a quarter-mile away I make them sit down at the base of a tree. I kneel and start doing handseals, shutting my eyes to concentrate. When I'm done, I press my palms against their cheeks, then to my forehead.

'_There. No one can see us now, though we can see each other. Keep quiet, and stay here. I have to go find Sasuke.'_ They nod and I sprint back in the direction we'd come. When I find him, he's alone, looking around for us. Because he can't see me, I easily get behind him and cover his mouth with my hand, wrapping my other arm around his chest to hold him to me. For a moment, he panics, then I say, _'Don't scream. It's just me.'_

'_Tami,'_ he breathes, relieved. _'I didn't see you.'_

'_That's because you can't,'_ I reply._ 'I'm going to let go of you, but don't move._' I pull my hands away and remake the handseals from earlier, walking around so I'm facing him and putting my hand to his cheek. The jutsu takes effect and he asks,

'_Where are the other two?'_

'_Hiding and safe,'_ I reply. _'Come on, before they manage to get themselves into trouble._' He nods and we hurry back._ 'Did you manage to finish him off?'_

'_No, he got away right after you three left,'_ he says, sounding irritated.

'_But the wound to his shoulder is pretty good,'_ I say, trying to lift his spirits. _'If nothing else, you crippled him.' _He nods and says,

'_How are we going to find them?'_

'_We can see them, but no one else can. However, this jutsu isn't soundproof, so hopefully they're staying quiet.' _ He nods once more, then groans.

'_Ugh, that was a disaster.'_

'_Wrong. It could've been, but it wasn't. None of us are hurt – too seriously, anyway – and we still have our scroll. But we definitely need to be more wary. At least our first enemy was a jackass who underestimated our abilities; it could have been much worse. What do you propose we do?'_

'_Well, you can tell who we are from our minds, but if we get split up, I think it would be safe for us to have a password.'_

'_I agree. Got any good ones?'_

'_One.'_ We get close and I stop Sasuke, making him slow to a walk to let him know. We round the tree and there they sit.

'_Good, you two are still here,'_ I say and Sakura brightens.

"Sasuke!" she says. We sit down in a circle and I drop the jutsu.

"Makes no sense for us to keep it up, now that Sakura's alerted everyone around," I say crossly and she cringes before muttering,

"Sorry."

"Remember this. If we get separated again, we can't trust each other blindly! It could end up the way this did!" Sasuke says. I suddenly feel the presence of another person – no, three people – hiding beneath the ground. They're listening to us carefully, waiting for us to voice our plans.

'_Is this password Naruto-friendly?'_

'_Not really, but I know you'll always be able to find him, should he get lost. Why?'_

'_Because someone's listening. They're sitting below-ground. Naruto's the easiest to get alone, and we can only hope he's who they'll target. Chances are, they'll get the password right.'_

"But what can we do?" Sakura asks.

"In case Tami's not around, the safest thing is for us to have a secret password. That way, we'll know. No matter who they look like or how they sound, if one of us gets that wrong, they're an enemy! Listen very carefully. I'll only say this once! It's a poem called "ninki" – "ninja opportunity". When I ask for it, here's how you respond..." He recites it and from the first five words, Naruto's lost, just as I thought. When Sasuke finishes, I smirk.

"Aw, Sasuke, that's cute. I didn't know you like poetry." He rolls his eyes, but I feel him fight down a smile at my attempt to lighten the mood.

"And you expect me to remember that…HOW?" Naruto asks.

"You are such a dunce. I've already got it down!" Sakura says.

"As intended," I murmur, giving her a meaningful glance.

"Very good. Time to pull back and regroup," Sasuke says, getting to his feet. "I'll take the scroll."

"We need a better password! How about swordfish?" Naruto asks and I snicker.

"How about no?"

"Aww!" We all get to our feet, but as Naruto stands, something cuts through his cheek. He puts his hand to his face and says, "What the-?" A gale-force gust suddenly sweeps in and I dig my heels in to resist its push. Naruto is quickly swept back, and I hear Sasuke say,

"A new enemy?" Putting on a charade…Naruto's out of the picture, he'll be the first our foe impersonates…Bring it. The remaining three of us quickly dive to hiding spots, but I get out of mine when I don't sense the enemy nearby to find Sasuke. He's beneath a bush, a knife in his hands, so I creep up behind him and pounce. I straddle his waist, grab his wrists, and pin him.

'_It's me, so relax. You're just so tense I didn't want you to spring up and stab me, because in all honesty, I didn't pay attention to a word you said when you recited that poem.'_

'_O-okay…you can get off me now,'_ he says and I feel his heart pounding from the position we're in. I slide off him and continue,

'_I came to find you to ask if you want me to stay with you, or go find Naruto. He was blown away by the wind, so I'm sure he's who the impersonator will choose to be. He's also alone, so unless you think he can handle himself, I should probably go find him. Sakura knows the password.' _He nods.

'_You should go.'_ I nod and get up, but before I take off I wink at him and say,

'_Don't miss me too much!'_ Then I spring up into the tree and head off. Naruto's brain is easy enough to find, but he got blown back pretty far. I go back at least one hundred yards away from the others, but when I reach him, he's in the midst of dodging a – DAMN, THAT'S A BIG ASS SNAKE!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

I gape at the enormous reptile, which rears its head as if about to strike. Naruto leaps back as the snake brings its monstrous head toward him, but its tail darts after him.

"Naruto, the tail!" I scream, but it wraps around him, pinning his arms to his sides. I quickly draw a handful of shuriken and toss them at the snake, but it bats them away with the tail below Naruto. He then swings him at me and knocks me off my feet. I skid to a stop forty feet away, and as I get to my feet the snake opens its mouth and throws Naruto in, swallowing him whole. "Naruto!" I run closer to the massive reptile, but it no longer seems to have any interest in me. It slithers up to one of the trees and rests its head on a protruding root, its eyes sliding shut. "Naruto?" I shout, approaching the snake cautiously. It doesn't stir, too content to be bothered. A muffled voice shouts a reply from within the snake, so I dart forward and put my hands against its scaly flesh. So much for snakes being cute. This is just ridiculous…not to mention obnoxious. How the hell am I going to get him out? I could try hypnotizing the snake into spitting him out, but I don't know if my powers will work on animals. There's always cutting him out, but that could take a while. Who knows how thick its skin is? "Naruto, can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" his voice replies from inside. I can barely make out what he says, but it's enough.

"Any ideas on how we can get you out?" I ask.

"Nuh uh! I can barely move in here! Ugh, it smells, too!"

"Focus, Naruto!" I bark. "Sasuke and Sakura could be in trouble!"

"R-right! Um…is there any way we could make him throw me up?" I ponder this for a moment. I doubt snakes have the gag reflexes humans do, so it probably won't help to open its mouth and shove a stick down its throat. Hmm…Suddenly, my brain clicks.

"Naruto, do you remember how you and Sasuke vomited at Tazuna's house?"

"Uh…yeah!"

"Try doing something like that!" I say. His doppelganger jutsu should work, if he creates enough clones.

"Right! Step back, Tami!" I retreat behind one of the trees and poke my head around just enough to see the snake. I hear Naruto yell something from inside and the snake starts swelling as its body fills up with clones. Its eyes burst open in shock, then its body splits open and a hundred Narutos come spilling out. I dart over to him as he drops the jutsu, revealing his true form.

"Naruto, are you alright?" I ask. He's covered in blood and saliva, his hair matted and his breath coming in huffs.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he replies, looking around at the snake remains. "I'm the shinobi who'll become Lord Hokage. So don't mess with me!" I roll my eyes.

"I think it got the message when you blew it up," I say. "Now come on – Sasuke and Sakura might be in some serious trouble. I don't know how strong the new opponent will be." He nods and we take off the way we'd come. I'm beginning to get that awful, haunting feeling in my gut again. It gnaws at me fiercely and only becomes worse with every leap that we take; it's almost enough to make me feel sick. Naruto glances at me out of the corner of his eye and notices how pale I've become.

"You okay?"

"Something's wrong," I reply, clutching at my stomach as my insides twist with fear. "Very wrong." He nods and we pick up the pace a little. I frantically search the area for Sasuke and Sakura's minds, but the density of the trees is making them hard to find. How far from them did we go? I didn't think it had taken me long to find Naruto, but then again, the new enemy could have forced them to retreat farther from us. Perhaps he's trying to keep us separated so he can take us down in twos. This one seems much more intelligent and fearsome than our first opponent, and this does nothing to ease the contorting of my innards. I finally stop and shut my eyes.

"Tami, what-?"

"I'm trying to find them," I reply, concentrating. I start with Sasuke, since he's the one I've had the most contact with recently and his mental signature is freshest in my mind. _Come on, come on…Sasuke, where are you?_ I suddenly get a faint burst of it, not too far from us but in motion, and I grab Naruto's hand. "Come on." We shoot off again and I keep a lock on Sasuke's mind. As we get closer, I can feel the frantic, short thoughts racing through Sasuke's mind. He's all instinct right now, zero planning. This is nothing like the active but calm mindset he'd had during our first fight, which serves to further confirm my belief that this enemy is far more dangerous than the first. If he's terrified Sasuke this much, he must be someone worth being afraid of. We finally reach them and I spot them both. Something – or _someone_ – is coiling around the tree with incredible speed, his body stretched like a spring (or, ironically, a snake). Naruto's hand flies for his shuriken pouch and he throws him into the path of the person after our teammates. He stops, unreasonably quickly for having been going so fast, and this stuns me. His reflexes are fantastic. The man's eyes dart up to us and Naruto yells,

"Sorry Sasuke…I can't remember that stupid password!" But they both know it's the real us. The enemy's gaze darts between us and it makes my knees tremble. He practically radiates bad vibes; there's something about his mind that screams pure evil. I recognize him as the one with the disgustingly long tongue from before the exam; the creeper.

"Sweet! Naruto, that was awesome!" Sakura screams, feeling a little surge of victory go through her. Sasuke, however, doesn't seem so happy to see us.

"Naruto to the rescue, huh? You're completely psyched to be saving the day, but now would be a good time to run for your life! This guy is way out of our league!" Sasuke yells. The Amagakure genin chuckles, propping himself up on his arm.

"My compliments on your stunning defeat of the giant snake, Naruto. With help from your little girlfriend," he hisses and I notice a difference in his voice now. Naruto doesn't seem to process that we're neck-high in danger right now; all he can think about is how snake-like the stranger is. Does he not have _any_ shinobi instincts whatsoever? I can feel Sasuke's mind racing, trying to devise a way to get us out of this mess.

'_Every time I ever tried to rescue us, he's made things worse. But there must be some way to…'_ His eyes dart to the snake-like man.

"HEY! Why don't you pick on someone your own size? Or something like that…" Naruto shouts, trying to act tough and I gape at him. Is he fucking serious? If it weren't for my faith in his uncanny ability to always come out on top, I'd probably punch him in the face myself.

'_I've got to stop this before he gets us all killed,'_ Sasuke thinks, glaring up at Naruto. His eyes dart to me for a second, and I see his Sharingan eyes fade into their usual onyx. What the hell is he-? _'This is all I can think of…' _He reaches into his shuriken pouch and pulls out the scroll.

"If it's our scroll you want, come and get it! Just…take it and go!" The three of us gape at him. What the FUCK? Alright, this guy is terrifying – I can feel it in my very core just from looking at him – but is this the _only_ thing Sasuke can think of? He's not even going to TRY to fight back? Sasuke isn't joking, either. He's not simply luring the enemy in for a counterattack; he's honestly going to hand over our scroll.

"Sasuke, what the heck do you think you're doing?" Naruto screams, jabbing his finger at Sasuke in outrage. "Is this some clever way of beating the enemy? By handing over everything we've got?" The Ama-nin chuckles again, lifting himself up with one arm as he coils his legs back to their normal size.

"Well done. You're obviously natural-born prey, instinctively knowing that your only hope lies in the chance of the predator being distracted by some other tasty bait!" Sasuke grits his teeth, but tosses the scroll toward him and says,

"Come and get it!" Naruto's jaw drops and before I can stop him he leaps off the branch. He touches down on the same one as Sasuke and grabs the scroll, stopping it in its path to the enemy. Naruto's anger seems to spike, as does Sasuke's irritation. "Stay out of this! You'll ruin everything!" Without a word, Naruto spins and drives his fist into Sasuke's face. He goes flying back, but catches himself on a different branch, wiping blood from his lip. If nothing else, he's returned to his normal self enough to break his fall. "What do you think you're doing?" he demands.

"I forgot the stupid password, so I can't prove it, but this so-called Sasuke is obviously a fake!" Naruto accuses. Sakura stares at him, completely confused.

"What?" she cries.

"Naruto, you idiot, I'm me!" Sasuke says, glaring at him.

"That's bull! And you're the idiot, idiot! You're a coward, which Sasuke isn't, so you're obviously not him! I'm not so sure we need to be afraid of this guy, and even if we did hand over our scroll, there's no guarantee he'd spare us! So even if you were Sasuke, I'd still be calling you an idiot – and maybe a chicken, too!"

"Oh Naruto, this is rich!" the stranger coos, eyeing him with an amused smile. His tongue slides out of his mouth and curls in a way that makes me want to wretch. "And you're right. Why bargain…" His right hand slides up the sleeve of his left arm, revealing a coiling, black tattoo. What is that…? "When I can simply kill you and take the scroll?" He bites down on his thumb and it splits open, blood oozing from the wound. He drags it down the length of his arm in a line straight through the tattoo, and I suddenly realize what it is. A summon. Naruto grits his teeth and starts running toward him, yelling,

"SHUT UP!"

""Don't do it, Naruto!" Sasuke calls after him.

"Naruto, it's a summoning jutsu!" I scream.

"Are you serious?" Sakura yells, staring after Naruto. Sure enough, in a whirlwind there's an enormous snake beneath the stranger's feet, similar to the one that had swallowed Naruto, though three times as monstrous. With a flick of its tail it smashes the branch beneath Naruto's feet and sends him flying.

"NARUTO!" we shout, watching him soar upwards and blow through another tree branch before slamming into the one above it. Blood sprays from his mouth as pain racks his body from the impact. I wince and shoot from tree to tree, hurrying to see if he's alright.

"Excellent…but let's not take chances. Eat the boy," the stranger chirps sweetly and I watch as the snake lunges for him. Oh no – I'm not going to reach him in time-! Naruto straightens up, his feet clinging to the branch, and as the snake comes within range he springs down, slamming his fist into the snake's nose.

"EAT SNOT, SUCKER!" he screams. His chakra has changed, just as it did during our mission to the Land of Waves…It's powerful, fierce, primal…The stranger's taken aback, and my teammates gawk at Naruto. They've never seen him this way, and his sudden surge of inhuman strength stuns and scares them. As Naruto falls, the man lifts his hand to his mouth and blows, sending Naruto flying in a powerful gust of wind, then he focuses his attention on Sasuke. He's completely rigid, torn between confusion and fear.

"And it's Sasuke's turn next! How will he take it?" the stranger asks, sounding as if he's having the time of his life.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screams, but he doesn't even hear her. All he can hear is the blood rushing in his ears…A blur of orange leaps between Sasuke and the snake, digging his heels into the branch and keeping the two of them separated. Holy shit… Naruto pants, exhaustion settling in.

"Hey…are you okay…you big chicken?" he asks mockingly, smirking up at Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widen as he stares at the blonde. The stranger smirks down at him and his tongue darts out of his mouth, wrapping itself around Naruto's mid-section and lifting him off the ground. That's disgusting. "Heeey! Get off me!" Naruto protesting, wiggling in his grip.

"Heh-heh, the brat of nine tails is still alive and kicking!" the stranger cheers, moving his hands up to place them in a handseal; one that I've never seen before. What does that mean? I start racing toward them, keeping my eyes on them at all times, but before I can reach them the stranger drives one of his hands into Naruto's stomach. Pain sprouts from the blow and immediately Naruto's chakra levels diminish, sinking below even their normal level. He utters a shout of pain, but as the jutsu takes effect his body slumps in the stranger's grasp. Sakura turns to Sasuke and cries,

"Sasuke! Naruto needs you!" The stranger removes the scroll from Naruto's shuriken pouch and tosses him carelessly over his shoulder. Knowing I'm too far away to catch him before he slams into something _else_, I quickly draw a kunai knife and throw it, catching Naruto's shirt and pinning him to a tree. "Sasuke! Naruto may be nothing like you; he's clumsy, and he holds us back, but at least he's got guts! Naruto's no coward! Right?" Sakura cries and I glower at her.

"Holds us back? Naruto was the only one working to do something to keep us alive!" I snap. "When was the last time YOU did something useful, other than BITCH?"

"Ooo, fiery, are we?" I spin around, only to be face-to-face with the stranger. He stares me down with a malicious, deadly look in his eyes that I've never seen before; not even in Zabuza. "Mmm…something tells me you're special, too…what's your little secret?"

"My secret? I hate phonies," I growl, taking a step back. Now that he's so sickeningly close, I start getting snippets of his thoughts. "You're not who you're pretending to be. You killed the real Amagakure genins and stole their identities." His eyes widen in pleasant surprise and he laughs.

"My my, and however did you come to that conclusion?" he asks.

"You ask a lot of questions," I retort.

"You raise many," he hisses. "And you didn't honestly answer my first."

"A shinobi doesn't tell." He chuckles once more and says,

"Well then it would appear I'm just going to have to torture you until I get what I want." His middle finger traces his eye absently for a moment, his gaze elsewhere, then they snap onto me. I'm sucked into a horrible genjutsu, feeling as if I'm being brutally slaughtered. Pain shoots from innumerable places on my body, as if I'm being cut to pieces, but I quickly fold my hands together. _Kai – release!_ I break the spell with ease and though I'm shaken, my vision returns to normal.

"Unfortunately for you, the first thing I was ever taught to do was to block genjutsu and protect my own mind," I growl. His eyes widen and I take advantage of his momentary drop in guard to make several handseals. This is going to take a lot out of me, but if I can weaken him just a little, it might really help. I reach forward and cover his face with my hand. "Let's see how you like being tortured!" _Kashaku rei no jutsu, art of the tormented soul!_ I feel his entire body recoil as I send shockwaves of pain throughout his body. This kind of pain doesn't target muscles or flesh; instead, it attacks the keirakukei and as it flows, it forces the chakra to emit itself in random, concentrated bursts. The keirakukei is the most sensitive part of a shinobi, which is what makes this jutsu so effective. Every burst feels as if you're driving a pick-axe into a pressure point.

However, I'm not nearly as skilled as I should be to use this, and I can feel my chakra depleting rapidly. Level Four users, with practice, have been known to do this for extended periods of time, going on hours, and such prolonged exposure to it can make a person feel as if he's in Hell; hence the jutsu's title. The stranger sinks to his knees as his keirakukei continues to sabotage itself and I grip his face to prevent him from breaking contact. However, he swings his leg up and it catches me in the stomach, knocking me back and freeing himself of my hold. He draws a rough inhale as the pain ebbs and though I can feel his anger, the more prominent emotion within him is interest. A selfish, desiring interest.

"You _are_ a treasure," he hisses. "That is a jutsu that I've never experienced before now." I slide back and take a defensive stance in front of my teammates.

"It won't be the last unless you hand over our scroll and leave." His lips curve into a smirk.

"I think not. That jutsu doesn't just sap my strength; it also takes your own. Your fragile, untrained body doesn't have the power to keep going for very long, does it?" he asks in a sweet, mockingly sympathetic voice. I grit my teeth.

"You won't know for sure unless you try, now will you? Sure you want to take that risk?" He chuckles, his body slowly regaining his prior level of calm. _Damn it…_

"No, I don't. But I won't have to." He darts forward so swiftly that I don't have time to move back and the back of his hand comes into solid contact with my jaw. I'm sent flying back and I collide hard with the wood of the tree branch. Blood seeps out of the corner of my mouth and the blow was so strong that my vision is blurring. _Damn_, that hurt. It feels like my entire cheekbone shattered from the force.

"Tami!" Sakura screams, hurrying to my side. Sasuke's eyes dart from me to the stranger and his hands curl into fists as rage builds up in his chest. His mind has had time to cool, and he's finally back to himself. He activates his Sharingan and his brain goes into overdrive. The stranger prepares himself and Sasuke reaches behind him, digging in his weapons pouch and withdrawing a windmill shuriken and several kunai knives. _About damn time he went on the offensive._ "Tami, are you alright?" Sakura places gentle hands on my arm and back, leaning over me. I groan at the pain still raging in my cheek, but I manage to put my hand on her arm.

'_I'm fine. Just don't make me talk, because my cheek stings like a __bitch__.'_

'_O-okay,'_ she says. _'Will you be well enough to move?'_ I utter a growl at the thought, but reply,

'_Yeah, I should be.'_ With her help I straighten into an upright position and I immediately look at Sasuke. Incredible…all this time that he's been panicking, he could have taken this guy down and gotten his hands on the scroll. Sasuke's perceiving his enemy's every move and blocking each one, already plotting his next strategy as the stranger is forced to change his course of action. I watch as he masterfully pulls off a three-pronged attack, using string to pull the windmill shuriken back at his opponent's face. The stranger catches it in his teeth, only to realize that Sasuke's going to use the Dragon Flame Technique._ 'All this time Sasuke wasted…we could have had this asshole's scroll and been done with him!'_

'_He…he ate it.' _I turn to Sakura.

'_He WHAT?'_

'_Right after he showed himself, he put the scroll in his mouth and swallowed it whole.'_ I gape at her.

'_You're serious? Why the hell have we wasted so much time, then? We should have simply made a run for it and seen if we could lose him! Forget handing over our scroll – that much was stupid – but staying here and getting our asses kicked was exactly the sort of thing we wanted to avoid!'_ She sighs, but doesn't argue. I return my attention to Sasuke and see that his technique was successful; the man's face has been horribly disfigured, beyond recognition, yet he's still standing. How the hell-?

"That one so young should have such mastery of the Sharingan mirror wheel eye…! Truly, a worthy successor to the honored Uchiha clan! In fact, I believe…I want you, after all…" _Want him?_ _What the fuck does he mean by that?_ Using the hit of mental signature I acquired during our contact earlier, I dive into his mind and search for the answer. It's all very…vague…something about wanting Sasuke's…_body_…? That just sounds even MORE creepy than his appearance alone, but it must have meaning beyond just what it _sounds_ like he wants. "It's marvelous fun, having you show me all your tricks!" he continues, his hand moving up to rub something from his headband. Upon moving his fingers, I see that the symbol on his headband is actually a musical note; the symbol for Otogakure. The three of us suddenly realize that we can't move and my mind starts working frantically to break his spell's hold. He's truly a master, to be able to impose such a powerful hold without lifting a finger. "You really are his brother, aren't you? You can see – and conceal – things with those eyes of yours that Itachi himself never dreamed of!" He knows Uchiha Itachi? How? Who IS this guy?

"Just who the heck are you?" Sasuke demands.

"I'm Orochimaru, the giant snake. If you'd ever like a rematch, then pass this exam as quickly as you can!" He holds our scroll in his hand and it bursts into flames. We gape in horror as it smolders and I snap,

"How can you expect us to fucking pass if you've taken BOTH scrolls from us?" He chuckles.

"I have faith in his abilities…and in yours. I'll see you again, if you manage to defeat the three Otonin who answer to me."

"Wh-what're you babbling on about? We never want to see your face again!" Sakura cries.

"Perhaps not, but wishing won't chase me away." He folds his hands together, twisting his middle fingers around his indexes in another seal I've never seen before, and I quickly look into his mind.

'_As soon as I place the curse mark on Sasuke, I should pay a visit to my other little progeny…Anko…'_ The proctor? She's in league with him? His neck suddenly stretches, his mouth opening to reveal two long, pointed canines; like snake fangs. I jump to my feet, the spell on me broken, and I push Sasuke out of the way. His head flies right past me but my arm brushes his neck, and my vision suddenly goes black. _What the fuck?_

_Orochimaru smirks out the open window of a wide room, watching the day pass by him._

"_What makes you think he'll come?" a vaguely familiar voice asks._

"_He will. I know what it is he wants; he won't be able to resist the temptation I've presented. He may try for a while, but once he realizes how weak Konohagakure is, and how incapable his teachers are of helping him reach his full potential, he will seek me out. When he does, I expect you to assist me in his teachings, of course. He is to be my most important pupil." The voice chuckles._

"_Naturally. I know that look in your eye. Rarely do I get to see you so excited, Lord Orochimaru. This boy must mean a great deal to you." Orochimaru's smirk broadens as an avaricious gleam invades his cold, golden eyes._

"_Oh, he does. He possesses raw power and skill that may surpass even Itachi. To have the last of the Uchihas under my command would be a great advantage. He will become the perfect vessel for me; the most worthy vessel I've ever chosen!" The degree to which he wants this person is borderline to obsessive madness._

"_This is all based on the assumption that he passes the exams, that is." Orochimaru scoffs._

"_Those pitiful exams measure one's ability to lead, not the individual raw talent of the examinee. Sasuke doesn't require such capability; his talent is a far more lucrative quality."_

"_There's also a matter of the curse mark," the voice reminds him. "He seemed to be having trouble controlling it the last time we spoke. That curse __does__ have a nine in ten chance of killing him, doesn't it?" Orochimaru chuckles._

"_If Anko managed to survive it, I'm very confident Sasuke will as well."_

I suddenly snap back to reality as excruciating pain surges through my body, radiating from the left side of my neck. I clutch at it, stifling cries of pain, but there's someone else screaming. It's Sasuke. _Oh no…_ Though my arms are shaking, I manage to prop myself up just enough to see him. Sakura has her arms around him; Orochimaru's nowhere in sight.

"Shit…Sasuke…" I mutter, trying to lift myself to my feet. "Sakura…his neck…"

"Orochimaru bit him," she snaps through her tears, fear and anger ripping through her. "I can't believe he would do such a thing." Tears are pouring from her eyes, and this immediately sends waves of anger through me. Nothing has happened to her. She hasn't been injured, nor has she even lifted a finger to help us fight off our enemies. Yet she sits there and cries as if the world has been completely cruel to her. Pathetic.

"Stop…fucking…_crying_," I growl through gritted teeth, using my anger to block out everything else. I stagger to my feet. "Get…Naruto. We have…to move. And hide. I can't…take anyone on…right now. My chakra's…running too low, and Sasuke's pain – " I stifle another scream as a fierce wave of agony courses through Sasuke's body and my knees buckle. " – Doesn't help." She nods and hurries off to get Naruto. I shuffle to Sasuke's side as quickly as my feet will allow me to move. "Sasuke…hang in there. We're going…to move somewhere safe…and then I'll see…what I can do…about the curse mark."

"Unnh…make it…stop…!" he cries, gripping the wood so hard his fingernails are beginning to crack and bleed.

"I'm going to try," I say softly, and without thinking I take one of his hands in mine. He grips it, both in an effort to alleviate his pain and seek comfort. His muscles are contracting in hundreds of painful spasms and he can barely breathe without it hurting. "Let me knock you unconscious. It might make it easier on you." He hesitates, then nods, so I release his hand and make a few quick seals. Tapping him lightly on his temples, his eyes flutter shut and his mind slips into unconsciousness. His body is still wrought with pain, but he doesn't consciously feel it as much anymore. I manage to get him onto my back just as Sakura comes back with Naruto. "Ready?" She nods and I lead the way as we take off.

Using my mind to track down potential enemies, I guide us to a small clearing. There's a tree whose roots have grown out of the ground and it provides a sort-of shelter. I make another quick scan, searching for remnants of mental signatures or any active minds nearby, but I don't sense either so I gently set Sasuke down before helping Sakura with Naruto. Once they're safe, I turn to Sakura. "Give me the little water canister in your pouch." She digs it out and hands it to me. "I'm going to find water. Stay here, and do not fall asleep." She quickly nods and I take a look at the boys. Sasuke now has a dreadful fever and his breath is coming in gasps and wheezes. Naruto looks practically dead. Shit… I turn on my heel and hurry off. Thinking back to the map Anko showed us before she locked us in here, I remember that there's a river running through this forest, and it would have been approximately three miles from our original position. I estimate that during both our battles, we travelled a total distance of five miles; four into the heart of the forest and one west of our entry point, meaning the river shouldn't be too far from where we are. The sun has started setting, so I guess it's about seven-thirty, going on eight o'clock. I dart through the trees and, sure enough, I soon pick up the sound of rushing water. I touch down and I'm relieved to see that no one else is here. That's…pleasant, but very odd. Did everyone already secure provisions? Or have that many teams been eliminated? I shrug it off, but scan the surrounding trees for minds as I fill both Sakura's and my canisters. I screw the caps back on them and shove them into my shuriken pouch, but keep my hand there as three minds approach me from behind. I've felt their minds before…but I don't recall who exactly…Someone puts a hand on my shoulder and I turn on my heel, drawing a kunai knife from my pouch and pressing it to the stranger's neck.

"Whoa! Hey, easy, Tami!" I blink.

"Kiba?" He gives me his cocky smirk and grins, baring his abnormally pointed canines.

"Yeah, just me. Take it easy." It really is him; him and his two teammates. They all appear completely unharmed. I take my knife from his neck and put it away.

"Sorry," I say.

"Hey, no problem. Just staying on your toes, like you should. After all, what if I'd been an enemy?" he asks, giving me a challenging smile. I smirk.

"I wouldn't have merely stuck the knife to your throat; I'd have cut out your Adam's apple." His eyes widen and he laughs.

"Wow, pretty gruesome."

"There's no mercy in combat, Kiba," I say.

"Haha, yeah, I guess not. Where are your teammates?"

"Hopefully, hiding and safe," I say, frowning. If Sakura screws that up, I swear I'll end her. Kiba laughs again and says,

"Hiding? They sent you out here by yourself? No backup?"

"I don't need it. And they didn't really have a choice," I reply. I wonder if I should be telling them this, but they aren't sending off any threatening vibes; Kiba just happened to see me and wanted to see how I was doing. They're friendly, for the most part.

"Heh, how come? You got a tight leash on them?" Kiba asks.

"Save your dog-related puns, Kiba," the quiet boy says. He chuckles and says,

"Just trying to lighten the mood, Shino. Anyway, how are you four doing? Got your two scrolls yet?"

"Nope. We don't have either." Kiba and Hinata gape at me.

"You…you're serious? You've already lost your scroll?" Kiba asks, stunned. I nod.

"Not only that, but both Sasuke and Naruto are basically comatose right now. It's just me and Sakura. That's why they're not here; Sakura's standing guard over the boys. I knew where the river was, so I left. I just hope Sakura hasn't had a chance to fuck up yet."

"Jeez, I knew you four were doomed, but not THAT doomed," Kiba says.

"K-Kiba, don't be rude," Hinata says softly, tapping her index fingers together. A nervous habit, I suppose.

"Yeah, it's not really our fault," I say. "You know those Amagakure genin who gave Anko trouble right before the exam?"

"Yeah, the one with the really creepy tongue?" Kiba asks and I nod.

"He wasn't the real thing. He and his team stole the identities of the real Ama-nin to get put into this forest with us. He's way more powerful than any Chunin. The guy with the long tongue – he was after Sasuke. He used a jutsu on Naruto that lowered his chakra levels, and he put a curse on Sasuke. He swallowed his own scroll – not that he needed it, I guess – and burned ours." Even the quiet boy is interested now.

"Holy…Do you guys want help?" Kiba asks.

"Y-yes, it sounds like you four have b-been given a-an unfair disadvantage," Hinata insists. Their camaraderie is touching, but I shake my head.

"I doubt either of the boys would like waking up to find you three helping us, especially Naruto. You know how he is. Besides, you guys should get to the tower as quickly as you can, so there's less of a chance that you'll lose your scrolls."

"Hey, how'd you know we have both?" Kiba asks. I smile.

"Just a feeling. I doubt you would've taken the time to stop and ask me how I'm doing if you three weren't already set. Thanks for the offer, you guys, but I won't put you in jeopardy like that. Something tells me we haven't seen all the misfortune this forest has to heap on us, and it wouldn't be fair if you were put in harm's way for us." I throw a glance at the sky; the sun is now glowing a deep red and a wave of beautiful purple is starting to make its way across the sky. "I'd better go; so should you."

"Alright. Bye Tami; hope we see you at the tower," Kiba says.

"Yeah, you and me both," I reply. I wave to them and we dart off in separate directions. When I reach Sakura, I see her head bobbing up and down as she fights sleep. It's nearly dark now and the entire forest has reached a new level of fucking creepy. Not only that, but I sense the presence of three people not too far away. I know we're being watched, but I'm not nearly strong enough to take all three of them out. The least I can hope for is that they're after our scroll, and when we tell them we don't have either they'll leave us in peace. Sakura looks up as I approach.

"Hey. You've been gone a while," she muses.

"Ran into Kiba's team by the river. They're on their way to the tower; they already have both scrolls."

"S-seriously?" she asks, her shoulders slumping in dismay. I nod and it seems to make her sink even lower. "Just when I thought we would be able to show how much we've grown, and how we're not the same losers we were in the academy…"

"It's not our fault," I say. "Orochimaru isn't a genin; his prowess exceeds that of a _Jonin_. We were put at a _ridiculously_ unfair disadvantage; there was nothing more we could have done to prevent things from happening the way they did. And sulking won't do us any good, either." I pull the canisters from my shuriken pouch, along with a thick cotton cloth. "Get some sleep. We'll watch them in shifts; I'll wake you at around midnight." She nods and crawls further beneath the branches, curling up on the ground. I douse the cloth in water and wring it, then drape it over my forearm. I slide my arm under Sasuke's shoulders and lift him just enough for me to untie his headband. It slides off and I set it aside, replacing it with the soaking wet cloth. It seems to help ease his discomfort just slightly. I look over him to Naruto; he hasn't moved at all since I left. That jutsu Orochimaru used on him must've been really draining…it isn't like Naruto to be down for this long. I thought he'd be awake by now.

Sakura's already asleep, her eyes lightly shut and an arm tucked beneath her head. I sink against one of the roots, looking over my teammates. My body's completely exhausted; thank goodness we're getting at least this break, however long it lasts. The three people watching us aren't leaving, which causes me to question their motive. If it's a scroll they want, there'd be no better an opportunity to attack than now. Two down, one asleep, and one too exhausted to put up much of a fight. My mind wanders back to what Orochimaru said_… I'll see you again, if you manage to defeat the three Otonins who answer to me._ The three Otonin that charged Kabuto before the exam…they must be the ones he referred to. They're the only three that came this year, unless Orochimaru entered three others under the cover of being ninja from another country, like he had. I massage my left temple with my fingers, the stress wearing on me. This is such bullshit. How could no one have noticed he wasn't who he said he was? Aren't the three real Amagakure genin somewhere in the city? Why haven't they been found?

My mind then goes back to the vision I'd had during the fight. This shouldn't be happening. My powers aren't supposed to be progressing this fast; no one else's has. EVER. It's taken Sohmas years to ascend the levels, whereas I'm going through them in leaps and bounds. I've gained sight without touch and premonitions within weeks of each other; usually, I wouldn't have my first premonition for at least a year after. My grandfather, the most powerful man in our family, had his first premonition seven months after he gained the ability to read minds without contact, and that alone is extremely impressive. A shudder runs down my spine as I recall what I'd seen. What did Orochimaru mean by a 'vessel'? Like an heir? Orochimaru seems to be under the impression that Sasuke will come after him, to take him up on some 'temptation'. What could he have offered him? Itachi's head on a stick? That would be some definite motivation for him.

The next five hours drag on, punctuated by occasionally dampening the cloth on Sasuke's forehead. It's about one in the morning when I creep to Sakura's side; I'd given her an extra hour as a precautionary measure. _I _certainly don't want to be killed in my sleep because she's too tired to fight. I shake her and her eyes flutter open. For a moment, she doesn't remember where she is and why she's outside, then she looks up at me and it all comes back to her.

"Your turn." She nods and gets up, moving past me as I lie down in her place. The forest has cooled as the night's gone on and I'm thankful for her lingering body heat. I watch her to make sure she gets situated, the water canisters at her side, then I shut my eyes. _Have faith that she won't fuck up…You'll never be able to sleep if you're paranoid that someone's going to stab you…_ I force myself to relax and sleep takes me. I wake not long after that, though, when I feel a sudden spike in adrenaline. Light is filtering weakly through the trees and I realize that it's just after dawn. Well, at least we survived the night. I push myself up and turn to find Sakura. Her back is to me, shaking hands on her kunai holster. Across the clearing stand the three Otonin. I was right.

"As of now, you're off duty. Just wake Sasuke for us. The three of us want to take him on," the bandaged one says, his head cocked to the side.

"Wh-what're you talking about? I know that some guy named Orochimaru is the one who's been pulling the strings, so what do you want?" The three Otonin are shocked; they hadn't been expecting us to know. "What does this mark on Sasuke's neck mean? With Sasuke in this condition…NOW you want to fight him? Get out of here! Go!" I sneer as I get up.

"I suggest you stop giving orders, Sakura. You suck at it; no one takes you seriously." She turns and watches as I walk to her side, rising to my full height once I'm clear of the roots. The leader muses,

"Hmm…I wonder what Orochimaru's up to?" The dark haired boy who'd thought to catch an attitude with me before the exams smirks and says,

"Whatever, I can't leave after hearing that! I'll destroy you, girl…and your little Sasuke, too!" He starts to move forward, toward Sakura, but the leader barks,

"Wait, Zaku!"

"Wait? Why?" Sakura swallows hard as the leader steps forward, kneeling in front of a patch of grass. I look into Sakura's mind and realize that she'd set a trap there; an easily distinguishable trap to dupe them. Truthfully, she'd set another trap above us – a massive log that would block them if they come straight for us. A pretty tactful maneuver, but I doubt it'll do much as far as protection goes.

"It's obvious…freshly turned stones, exposed soil, grass in a place it would never grow…someone's been setting booby traps, but what's the point of laying them if you leave evidence that warns your prey?" Zaku hadn't spotted it before, but smirks.

"It's amateurish! So…the person who threw the kunai knife was trying to stop the squirrel from springing the trap?" What squirrel?

"Well, the girls are no use to us, so let's eliminate them first." They dart forward and I stay back as Sakura slices through the cord at her side. The log she'd rigged swings down and I feel the amazement of the Otonin. "A log? The trap was above us this whole time!" They touch down near the top of the log, and a moment later they blast through it. How did they do that? I then see that the bandaged one has his right arm extended; the arm with the bulky, metal fixture on it. Perhaps that thing somehow amplifies his jutsus, to the point where he can blow through such solid objects with ease. "To be honest, you know you're a complete no-talent, don't you? Stop dogging it and start working at it! It's an insult being underestimated by slackers like you!"

"Then forget the team idiot, let's see how well you fair against me," I challenge, stepping in front of her as I feel fear well up in her stomach. She's honestly stupid enough to think such a simple diversion tactic like that would work and they'd just run away scared? But I know that only four hours of rest hasn't given me the strength to completely beat them…If I can take down the leader, though, I might have a shot… A new mind approaches us from the left and I duck as it flies right over me.

"Konoha Hurricane Technique!" All three of the Otonin are knocked in the opposite direction, solid blows dealt to each of them. I recognize that voice, as well as the mind, and I grin. He lands on his feet in front of me, taking his stance. "Look who's talking! Try taking your own advice!"

"Lee!" He gives me a friendly smile over his shoulder, which appears to have a squirrel on it. Did everyone suddenly get a thing for squirrels overnight?

"Wh-who are you?" the lead Otonin demands.

"Konoha's handsome blue beast, Rock Lee!" I roll my eyes at his flourished introduction, but I'm so relieved he's here.

"Where did you come from?" Sakura asks.

"I came because you needed me. And I always will!" Lee promises. He takes the squirrel off his shoulder and sets it gently on the ground, patting it gently on the leg to usher it away. Sakura gives him a bashful smile and says,

"I don't know how to thank you. You're a lifesaver."

"I promised when we met to protect you, until death do us part!" Aww, how touching. He's still so sweet to her, even after she was such a horrible little bitch to him. The leader holds their scroll up, eyeing us carefully, then tosses it behind him to Zaku.

"It can't be helped. Zaku, little Sasuke is all yours! They're as good as dead!" He then takes a running start toward us. I move forward but Lee throws his arm in front of me.

"Save your strength, Tami. I will deal with him."

"Are you sure? This isn't your fight," I say. "You don't have to throw away your strength for our sakes!" He throws me another confident smile and replies,

"It became my fight the moment they threatened to harm my friends." My lips curve into a weak smile and he focuses on the leader. "Stay back, Tami. This may get ugly." I do as I'm told, and Sakura tosses a kunai knife past us. The bandaged one jumps over it and Lee sinks to one knee, punching through the ground. I stare at him in awe as his hand wraps around something underground and he yanks it to the surface. It's a massive knot of tree roots! He's torn the entire thing out of the ground with only a small fraction of his strength! The leader swings his right arm and blows a chunk of the root apart, making me wince. If that had been a person… "This is some kind of illusion, right? So I'd be wasting my time ducking as though your attacks were real!" Illusion? That blow looked incredibly and horribly real, but it also doesn't make any sense how he's doing that. I've only seen them fight once, and even then my attention had been focused on the girl. Lee pulls the ends of the bandages around his arms out and starts untying them, silently prepping himself. I see glimpses of memories as they play through his mind – how happy he was when he mastered this technique, then how his sensei told him that he wasn't allowed to use it except for in one circumstance…when he was defending the life of someone precious to him. Sakura's this person? How can Lee be so deeply devoted to someone he barely knows? And he's not simply infatuated, as Sakura and Ino are with Sasuke – he really thinks that he _loves_ her. It's absolutely ridiculous, but at the same time…touching. The leader takes another running start at Lee and he makes a handseal, darting forward to meet him. In an instant, Lee disappears.

"Where'd he go?" the Otonin asks aloud. Lee reappears beneath him and drives his foot upwards, slamming it into the Otonin's chin and sending him flying – just as he'd done to Sasuke when they sparred. Now I'll see what this move can really do. Lee leaps into the air, going behind the Otonin like before.

"I'm not done with you yet!" He wraps the white linens around the Otonin, pinning his hands behind his back. Lee then wraps his own arms around him, and they both start hurtling toward the ground head-first. Lee starts spinning and the two of them pick up momentum, heading for the earth at a dangerous pace. No wonder Lee's sensei forbid such a move; there's practically no way they'll come away from it unscathed. Lee drives the Otonin into the ground before leaping away, but even then Lee's exhausted. It takes a great deal of effort to build up a force that strong, especially going from so minimal an altitude. As the dust clears I see the Otonin's lower half, from his waist to his feet, protruding from the earth, and at first I think he's done for…until I feel his mind still thrumming. No fucking _way_. That move was _ridiculous_! He should be unconscious, at the very least!

"Whew…Looks like I made it," Zaku says and I notice his hands buried below ground. I stare at his friend, hoping he won't move, but he plants his hands on either side of him and pulls himself out. Shaking his head back and forth to clear his vision and dust himself off, he says,

"What a terrifying technique. I managed to land on a pillow of soil and it still almost wiped me out! But now…" He draws his sleeve back to reveal that metal device. "It's my turn."

'_Oh…this is not good,' _Lee thinks. _'That last move I did just toasted me. I've got nothing!'_

"Let me take it from here, Lee," I murmur, sliding closer to him. "You gave it everything you had – you shouldn't be asked to do more for us."

"Oh no," the Otonin hisses. "That brat wants to try my hand; he must deal with the consequences."

"He was fighting on our behalf, leave him alone," I snarl, stepping in front of him. "And it's my teammate you're after. You'll have to fight me sooner or later."

"Precisely," Lee says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Save your strength."

"Lee, no," I insist. "Your teammates will hate us both if I get you killed."

"You won't," he assures me. The Otonin takes a running start at us and Lee puts his hands on my shoulders, moving me out of the way. As the Otonin takes a swing at Lee, he leans back to avoid the blow, but like with Kabuto his vision goes suddenly blurry. It's as if something in that machine can affect the cerebellum and mess with a person's balance…but is that even possible? How can a simple machine do something so advanced? The Otonin chuckles and says,

"Your moves may be fast, but ours are supersonic! And muscles alone can't break down the wall of sound!" SOUND! That's how they do it! Fucking duh! That machine must amplify sound waves – vibrations – and attack the inner ear with it! It's what causes the person's balance to be off! Lee sinks forward and vomits, then realizes liquid dripping from his ear. Blood. The Otonin's last attack burst his left eardrum. _What a bastard,_ I think bitterly. "It's this appliance, you see. It prevents you from blocking my attacks." Well that much is obvious now. Lee shudders and Sakura demands,

"What did you use on him?" The Otonins then explain the nature of their sound-based attacks. I should have seen this. They hail from the Village Hidden in the _Sound_, for shit's sake. But it's hard to think so basically when we have shinobi in our country that don't base any of their attacks on our namesake element. In fact, Sasuke is, so far, the only person I've ever _seen_ use fire-based jutsu. The Otonin's revealed eye locks on Sakura and he darts for her. Naturally, she simply sits there, her body frozen in panic. She really needs to learn how to react to being attacked.

"And now, it's your turn!" Lee springs to his feet and leaps in front of Sakura, rotating his body to implement his Konoha Hurricane technique. But his balance is still horribly off and a painful ache courses from his ear, causing the entire left side of his head to throb. "My last attack is finally showing some effect!" the Otonin snarls, placing a hand on Lee's feet and guiding it out of the way. "You startled me at first, now where's that fast, laser-sharp attack of just a few minutes ago?" He swings his arm around and Lee raises his arms to block it. He manages to hold it back and the blow alone doesn't deal him any greater damage, but the Otonin places a hand on his arm and stimulates the device. Even from my distance I can practically feel the strength of the vibrations he's bludgeoning Lee with. "This arm of mine magnifies every little sound within to the utmost limits! It's an amplifier and it goes to 11!" Lee utters a howl of pain as his inner ear is tormented. He crumples to the ground, unable to stand, and the Otonin says, "Now, time for the coup de grace!"

"I don't think so!" Sakura shouts, drawing weapons. She tosses a handful of kunai at him, but he parries them easily. Sakura tries again, getting to her feet now and tossing another wave of shuriken their way. Zaku darts in front of his teammates and blasts them back at her, the blades grazing her skin. The female team member darts forward and I shout,

"Sakura, move!" But the girl reaches Sakura, going behind her and taking her hair in her grip. "Sakura, damn it!" I start to dart forward, but Zaku sends a blast my way and I'm taken off my feet, slamming into one of the roots. I slide down and hit the ground, groaning from the pain, but I stagger to my feet. My body protests being moved in the direction of more suffering, but I fight the urge to heed its warnings. "Fine, let's see how you like us separated," I hiss and I instead start running for him. He holds his hands up again, smirking, but as he sends a gust my way I leap over it and come down on top of him, my feet landing sturdily on his chest. We fall to the ground and I pin his shoulders with my knees, drawing a kunai knife from my pouch and sticking it to his neck.

"Zaku!" the other one yells. He darts forward to help his comrade and I jump off of Zaku, going over his friend's head and landing behind him.

"She's so damn fast!" Zaku growls, sitting up. I turn to face them when Sakura whimpers. Her soft cry attracts my attention and I turn my gaze to her, instead.

"Zaku, why don't you finish off Sasuke or one of her other fallen heartthrobs right in front of this little lovesick pig? The least we can do is entertain her," the girl chirps giddily.

"Ha! Good one!" Zaku says, climbing to his feet.

"Over my dead body," I growl.

"Hmph, that can easily be arranged," he snarls back, his lip curling in what he thinks is a menacing sneer. I smirk in return and say,

"Then let's hope you've got something else up your sleeve than just your little air show, or your shit out of luck. I have powers you can't even think of." He turns back to the girl and says,

"Let's do it!" I suddenly feel a new, burning ache in my shoulder, near the base of my neck. What the hell is-? My eyes dart to the boys and I see something that looks like…steam rising from Sasuke's shoulder. What's going on? The final stages of the curse? What more can there be? Sakura pulls another kunai knife and the girl says,

"Your tricks are useless against me, little girl." Sakura smirks up at her.

"You think so?" She then swings her arm around and slices through her bright pink hair, shaving off about six inches of it and escaping the girl's grasp. Well, at least she's _starting_ to think like a shinobi.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

I suddenly feel three new minds. Why haven't I noticed them before? They've been here for quite a while, and they're…familiar. If I remember correctly, it's the other rookie team – Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino. Why are they just standing there, hiding? Can they not see that we need help? Zaku, who had been striding in the direction of the boys, stops and stares down at Sakura. Taking advantage of his distraction, I push my chakra to my feet and spring into the air, landing in front of him and blocking his path. His eyes lock back on me and I say,

"I told you – the only way to get to my teammates is to go through me first." Sakura gets to her feet and he snorts.

"Kin, finish her!" he orders and she draws senbon needles, holding them between her fingers. Sakura starts making handseals and I recognize them; substitutions. Come on, just when I thought I could have a little faith in her. Hopefully she has more in mind than that. Kin rams into 'her', but in a puff of smoke Sakura's substitution reveals itself. The log falls to the ground and I take advantage of Zaku's distraction to deliver a heel kick to his stomach, winding him. He staggers back, gripping his midriff and wheezing, but stays on his feet. Sakura comes at him from the side and he turns to her. "Kin, look out!" She darts out of the way and Zaku raises his arms. Sakura throws a handful of weapons at him, then starts making the handseals for another substitution. He blasts her weapons back at her, but they sink into yet another log. Kin turns and starts to go for Sasuke and Naruto once more, but I dart in her way and backhand her across the face, similar to how Orochimaru had hit me yesterday. The force knocks her back and she collapses to the ground, blood seeping out of the corner of her mouth as her cheek bruises.

"Try it again, I dare you," I say, beckoning her on with my index finger. She gets to her feet and says,

"Oh please. You talk a mean game, but with how pathetic your teammate is, I doubt you've got the power to back it up." I grin.

"Guess you need another hit to the face to learn better." She darts forward and swings her arm to strike me, but I block it and drive my fist into her stomach. She hunches over, gasping for air, and I grab her by her long mane of tangled black hair. "You mock Sakura for having nice hair, yet you don't keep yours short enough to avoid having it used against you. You're no better than she is." Using my grip on her head, I force her head down to meet my rising knee and the two collide with a sickening crunch. I feel the cartilage of her nose shatter against my kneecap and her blood stains my capris. I drop her to the ground and look around for Sakura. She's on the ground next to Zaku, with her teeth tightly clenched onto his arm. I almost groan at how pathetic an attempt that is, but at least she's _trying_. It's not like she has much to work with, with her taijutsu and ninjutsu skills so subpar. Zaku is mercilessly beating on her face, trying to get loose, but she refuses to let go. Blood pours from her nose and her eyelids are starting to swell, her vision blurring. I dart forward as he delivers a particularly fierce blow, sending her skidding across the ground, and I kneel at her side. "You don't have to take a beating like that, Sakura, it's unnecessary," I chastise softly. "I could have taken it from there."

"Y…you shouldn't have to…" she mumbles and I sigh. Suddenly, three people appear behind me and I whip around. There they stand – Choji's team, blocking us from the Otonin. Zaku snorts.

"Hmph! The freak parade just goes on and on…"

"Look who's talking," I snap, throwing him a dirty look.

"Ino…" Sakura says.

"Sakura, I told you I'd never let you show me up!" she says. "Did you think I was going to let you make the big sacrifice and hog all the glory in front of Sasuke?" I roll my eyes at their stupid cat-fight, then realize how spooked Choji is.

"Wh-what are you guys thinking? These creeps are too dangerous! They'll eat us alive! Shikamaru, let go of me!"

"No way! Sorry, buddy, but that's the way it is! We're the men here! We can't run away when Ino's risking her life fighting! Not even if we die!"

"Sorry I dragged you boys into this! But we are a three-man cell…all for one and one for all!" Well, at least THEY grasp the concept of working as a single unit.

"What's meant to happen will, I guess!" Shikamaru says, resigned to whatever Ino chooses. Wow, she has them _whipped_.

"Heh-heh…We'll let you off the hook if you want to run, Fatty," Zaku says and Choji freezes, a muscle in his jaw twitching.

"What did that guy just say? I…could've sworn he called me…" His anger starts welling up so fast, it's scary, as if the word 'fat' is a code word for some deeply buried rage to be unleashed. Zaku keeps mocking him.

"You're welcome to run away, if you can find a hiding place that's big enough, Fatso!" With a roar, Choji spins to face him and bellows,

"I'm not fat! I'm just pleasingly plump!" I gawk at them, stunned by their oddity. And I thought OUR team was weird as hell – these guys take the damn cake. "Pleasingly plump people UNITE! Does everyone understand? Do you get me? Konoha and the Otonin are at war!" His teammates give him calm smiles, for they'd expected as much, and Shikamaru releases Choji's scarf.

"This is turning into a complete mess," Shikamaru says, and Zaku retorts,

"It certainly is. Our orders were to find and kill Uchiha Sasuke using the cover of this exam, but…" I suddenly realize that someone's burning up and I turn, my eyes locking onto Sasuke. His teeth are grit and the mark on his neck is practically smoking now.

"Sakura, Tami." We turn to look up at Ino and she says, "Stay here and watch over your team." I scoff.

"Like I need you to tell me that." I leave Sakura's side and hurry over to Sasuke. I put my hand to his cheek; his fever's back, running higher than ever, and this worries me. It just keeps coming and going, though this relapse is curiously strong. I hear a ruckus going on behind me, but don't bothering looking. I doubt they'll have a much better chance than Sakura and I did by ourselves, despite the fact that they haven't been through the mill like we have. Their only advantage over us is their energy. Sasuke twists, looking as if he's having a nightmare, and I take the cloth from his forehead. Using the rest of the water in the canisters, I douse it and dab at his face and neck, hoping to alleviate the heat. I feel the arrival of two more people and tear my gaze from Sasuke to find them. It's Lee's teammates. The Hyuuga says,

"The kid with the Moe Howard hairdo belongs to us." He activates his Byukugan and focuses a penetrating glare on the Otonin. "You hurt him, so now you have to answer to us! Stop while you still can or we'll give you everything we've got!" he warns and I sigh with relief.

"Finally, someone with actual TALENT comes to the rescue." Neji looks down at me and smirks, then his eyes widen. He must sense the odd, incredibly powerful chakra radiating from Sasuke, as I do.

"Heh-heh, if you find us so despicable, why don't you stop posturing and start doing something about it?" the lead Otonin snarls. Neji shuts his eyes, the veins around them returning to normal size.

"Well…from the looks of things, I won't have to." I feel movement beneath my hands and look down. Sasuke's finally coming to. A small smile comes to my face as he gets to his feet, then I notice the black markings all over his hands.

"S…Sasuke?" I ask. He looks down at me and I spot those same, wavy designs along the left side of his face. I gape at him, my jaw dropping in horror. What the hell is wrong with him? His eyes are cold and unfeeling, his Sharingan activated.

"Sasuke! You're awake!" Sakura cries, then she too notices the change in him. He takes in the damage to both of us and softly says,

"Sakura…Tami…point out the ones who pummeled you into those states!" I don't reply. I can't. My mouth won't work; I'm too terrified to speak. This isn't right. In fact, this is very, very bad. Thick, purple rings of chakra encircle him and I vaguely hear Sakura murmur,

"Sasuke…"

"Who was it?" he demands, taking a look around at the eight people gathered in the clearing ahead of him. I back away from him, my hands shaking. Zaku, being the foolhardy person he is, boldly declares,

"It was us!" Sasuke's eyes slide to him and I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that look.

"Sasuke…your body…" Sakura says, staring at him. Sasuke looks down at his hand and merely says,

"Nothing to worry about. I feel fine…strong…bursting with power!" A shudder tears down my spine and I slide farther from him. This isn't the Sasuke we know. This one is…twisted. His gaze returns to Zaku and he growls, "So…it was you." Shikamaru seems to realize the gravity of the situation, for he immediately seizes Ino's unconscious body and sprints out of the way.

"Ino! If you stay in that form, you'll be dragged into this! Get back to your own body! Choji, let's get moving! It's time to get out of here!" 'Kin' folds her hands together and I feel Ino's mind leave her. Kin comes to, but my attention is focused on Dosu. He's eyeing Sasuke carefully, watching as those black marks spread across his face and entirely consume him. His revealed eye widens as a wave of recognition goes through his mind and he recoils. Zaku takes his offensive stance and says,

"Snap out of it, Dosu! Just because he refuses to die-!" But Dosu throws his arm toward Zaku and yells,

"Zaku, no! Don't you get it?" He seems to know something Zaku doesn't, but Zaku ignores him. He points his hands in our direction and I immediately lunge for Naruto. I slide my hands under him, but I doubt I'll be able to move in ti – An arm seizes me around the waist and yanks me hard, taking me off my feet and pulling me out of the way. Before I realize it, we're safely on the ground behind Zaku. I prop myself up on my hands and look up at Sasuke. He picked me, Naruto, AND Sakura up?

"Ha! Blew that pipsqueak to bits!" Zaku cheers, but Sasuke coolly says,

"What pipsqueak is that?" Zaku turns, just for Sasuke to backhand him across the face. Zaku flies in the other direction, rolling to a stop a few meters away. He's stunned by Sasuke's enhanced speed and strength, completely unaware of how he got it. Sasuke takes a deep breath, folding his hands together in front of him before placing one to his lips. He blows numerous fireballs, hiding a shuriken within each one and sending them flying at Zaku. He smirks and declares,

"You're getting over-confident! I can just blow these out!" But it's HIM who's over-confident, for as he blows out the fire he notices the spinning blades still coming for him. He shields himself with his arms and one-by-one the shuriken sink into him. Sasuke darts forward, skidding to a halt beneath Zaku. Dosu calls out,

"Zaku! Beneath you!" but Sasuke's already gotten a hold on Zaku's left arm. He encircles him, grabbing his other arm and pulling both behind his back, using his foot to keep Zaku down. Sasuke's lips curve into a wicked grin.

"Heh…You take such pride in your arms…time to bid them farewell…" And he pulls. I can see his insane smile broaden as Zaku starts screaming from the pain, and at last both arms are pulled out of their sockets, dislocated and useless. I utter a cry of pain as well, sinking to the ground as my arms go numb. I feel curiosity rise in those around us, but they can't begin to fathom what made me do so. From above me I hear Sasuke purr, "And then there was one. I hope you're more of a challenge." My left hand curls into a fist and I press my forearm against the ground, using the strength in my upper arm to raise myself up enough to see. Sasuke's facing Dosu now, that same sick, sadistic, _evil_ look on his face.

'_Sakura, stop him!'_ I project. She throws me a helpless look.

'_H-how?'_ I grit my teeth as I slowly push myself up, my arms shaking from the pain that hasn't ebbed from Zaku's.

'_I'll dive between them, and I want you to grab Sasuke from behind. If you keep him still for long enough, I can paralyze him until we can get him back to normal.'_ I manage to get myself to my hands and knees and I look from Sasuke to her. _'Ready?'_ She gives me a shaky nod, and as Sasuke starts to take another step forward I circulate my chakra to my feet and leap in front of him, blocking his path and putting a hand on his chest to keep him where he is. He freezes, his eyes going wide with surprise, and Sakura runs up behind him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Stop it!" she cries, hugging him tightly. "Please…please, stop…" Tears pour from her eyes again and I'm relieved to feel the chakra start to decrease. Sasuke and I continue to stare at one another as the black markings begin to recede, all of them slithering back to the curse mark. His eyes flicker back to onyx and once he's back to normal I drop my hand, but I don't let down my guard. However, his strength has faded along with the curse and his legs give out. Sakura catches him and eases him to the ground, but I stay where I am.

"You're pretty tough!" I turn and see that Dosu's holding his scroll toward us. "Obviously, in your current state, we have no chance of defeating you, Sasuke! Please accept this as a token of my admiration…and as some reparation for your trouble, and allow us to leave in peace. After what we've done, it may seem a lot to ask, but something big is afoot that merits further investigation and confirmation. I give you my word, on behalf of us all, that if you let us go now, then the next time we face you, we will stay until the battle is done, no matter how poorly we fare!" Sasuke doesn't reply, so Dosu sets the scroll down, collects his teammates, and starts his retreat.

"Wait!" Sakura yells and I almost hit her. "You've got to tell me! Who is Orochimaru? What did he do to Sasuke?" I shut my eyes and sigh, raising my hand to massage my forehead. What a bold little prick she is, demanding information from them after they try being gracious in defeat. And the way they treat Sasuke like he's some kind of fucking KING makes my skin crawl.

"I don't know. We were just following orders." They then disappear from sight. Once they're gone, Choji's team races back out and starts helping us care for the injured people. Ino helps Lee off the ground and Shikamaru and Choji hurry over to Naruto. I glance around at them, then follow after Ino.

"Tami," Sasuke says, but I ignore him. I can't even stand being close to him now. Seeing that side of him…that power-hungry, maniacal, psychopathic…_Orochimaru_-like side of him has, somehow, shattered my confidence and trust in him. I almost expect the curse mark to take back over and never stop. I think what terrifies me the most is that those things have been within him this entire time; he's just been better at keeping them under control. I catch up with Ino and say,

"Here, let me take him." She turns to me, surprised, and says,

"Uh, s-sure." I wrap his arm around my shoulder and take his weight.

"Thanks," I say and she nods. She walks off and I turn to him. "How you holding up?"

"Nnh…been better," he says jokingly, giving me a weak smile.

"How's the ear?" I ask.

"It's still a little difficult to stay balanced," he says, so I say,

"Sit." I lower him to the ground and kneel in front of him. I press my hand to his forehead, receiving a heavy dose of his mental signature and getting accustomed to his brain before I make a few quick handseals. Putting a hand on both temples, I shut my eyes and focus. I gently change the flow of chakra within his brain, shifting it to help balance out his left and right sides. When it's right, I open my eyes. "Better?"

"M-much! Thank you, Tami-chan! However did you do that?" I smile.

"Remember that thing I can do? Well, it allows me to change the way your brain works. I've changed the flow of chakra in your brain to balance you out. It'll last until your eardrum heals, then it'll go back to normal. You won't even feel the shift." His teammate jumps down and says,

"Let me take him from here." She kneels in front of Lee and shakes him vigorously back and forth, screaming, "Lee! Are you alright? Pull yourself together!" Jeez, they just get crazier and less inhibited. Lee looks up at her and says,

"TenTen? When did you get here?"

"We came to rescue you!" she says and I roll my eyes. Boy, what a great job they did looking after him in the first place. Lee looks around and says,

"Where did the Otonin go?"

"Sasuke scared them off!" TenTen answers. He throws a glance at the mentioned Uchiha, then TenTen goes straight to chastising him. "Look at you! You're a mess!"

"S-Sakura needed me! Saving her was my sacred duty – as a man!" I sigh, but smile at him. He's so cute. TenTen, however, doesn't seem at all pleased.

"You're an idiot, you know that, right?"

"Your words are so sharp, if I try to answer back, I'll cut myself!" Lee says bashfully, hugging his knees to his chest. I turn my attention to TenTen.

"TenTen?" She looks up at me and I bow politely. "I apologize for allowing your teammate to injure himself defending us. It wasn't our place to accept his help, especially because it brought such damage to him – damage that could have been more severe. I also apologize if this sets your team back on your efforts to pass the exam." She stares up at me, completely surprised.

"U-um…that's okay. I know Lee. He's too nice a person to deny anyone help. It really wasn't your fault." I straighten up and meet her gaze.

"Maybe, but I still feel guilty watching him take all the blame when neither Sakura nor I did anything to stop him." Naruto then ambles over and he grins, pointing at Lee.

"Hey! I know you! The unibrow!" Sakura overhears him (who didn't?) and runs over, slamming her fist into Naruto's face.

"Don't you talk to Lee like that!" Ugh, so much for quiet. Can't she pass out from exhaustion for just thirty minutes and leave me in fucking peace? I stride back over to our make-shift hideout and start gathering our things. Such a massive number of us must've attracted _some_ attention at one point or another, and the smartest thing to do would be to move…

"Tami." I flinch at the sound of his voice, freezing in place. I take a deep breath and softly say,

"What?"

"Why didn't you stop earlier when I said your name?" I go back to work, wringing the cloth out and stuffing it in my pouch along with the canisters.

"I don't have to yield to your every beck-and-call, Uchiha." My sudden coldness confuses him and I refuse to meet his gaze.

"What's wrong with you?" he asks, and I grind my teeth together, keeping my mouth shut. I walk past him, but he reaches out and grabs onto my shoulder. "Hey-" Without missing a beat, I grab his wrist and drag him over my shoulder, slamming him into the ground so he's flat on his back. Before he has a chance to get up, I walk around him and press my foot against his chest, keeping him down. I bend slightly to get closer, wanting to avoid letting the others hear me.

"You want to know what's wrong? Fine. I don't fucking trust you," I hiss, glaring down at him. He stares up at me, wide-eyed and bewildered by my shift in attitude toward him. "That curse turned you into a cold, heartless monster, and those thoughts and emotions don't just appear out of thin air. Until you prove otherwise, I'm not going to see you any other way, so until that time comes, I suggest you keep your hands off me." I release his arm and take my foot off of him, walking back over to the others. They all share the same expression – confused, panicked, wary, suspicious. "My team, we're leaving as soon as possible. Get your shit together and get ready to move. I suggest the rest of you do the same. Such a massive collection of chakras will draw in predators that wait for two fighting teams to finish, then take out the winners while they're weak. I don't want the reason some of you don't pass – or are injured – to be because you were ambushed while helping us." For a moment, no one says anything, then the Hyuuga says,

"She's right. TenTen, Lee, let's go." She nods and helps Lee to his feet.

"I'm fine, TenTen, really. Tami-chan helped me." She nods and let go of him. Thankfully, he's capable of standing on his own, and follows behind his teammates as they take off. I turn to Choji's team.

"Thanks for the help, you three." Though the other two simply stare at me, as if waiting for me to snap, Choji grins and says,

"Hey, us rookies have to stick together, right?" I return the smile and say,

"Right. Nice seeing you, Choji. Good luck out there, and be careful, alright?"

"You got it! See you guys at the tower!" I wave and walk back over to our hideout. The other three have grabbed their belongings, so I pick up mine and say,

"We have everything?"

"Yep!" Naruto says. I take a look at them and spot something. I sigh and say,

"No we don't." Sakura tilts her head to the side.

"What do you mean?" I dive back beneath the shelter of the roots and spot what I was looking for – Sasuke's headband. I grab it and edge back out, holding it up and giving him a cold stare.

"Forgetting something, Uchiha?"

"I hadn't realized I wasn't wearing it," he says. I toss it to him and he catches it, tying it around his forehead. I take another quick look at them and say,

"Good. Now we're ready. First, we should probably find provisions. The first day was wasted in that damn fight with Orochimaru, so none of us have eaten for an entire day. We're not going to recover very fast if we don't get some food in us. I know where the river is; follow me, and keep close." They nod and we take off.

We pass the next two days along the river, regaining the strength that had been sapped from us during the first day and a half. The fourth day rolls around and I find myself to be unusually fidgety. I can't stop pacing long enough to do anything, and I'm doing nonstop sweeps for mental activity nearby, even though no one's even gone by in the past twenty-four hours. It's midday when I finally snap and do the one thing I really don't want to do – I walk over to Sasuke. He's helping Naruto catch fish, pinning them to trees with kunai knives. We haven't spoken since I'd told him what I thought two days ago, and the stony quiet has been almost torture. I still don't trust him, but…I miss talking to him. I get within ten feet of him and take a deep breath.

"Sasuke." He doesn't turn to me, but snaps,

"What?"

"I need to meditate. I'm so bent out of shape I can't focus on anything. Just wanted to let you know that you're in charge of watching the morons, because I can't keep track of them while I'm under."

"Hn." Well, that's a polite response. I don't comment; I just turn on my heel and walk away from them, climbing up on a boulder resting at the river's side, well within sight of our camp. I fold my legs beneath me and place my hands on my ankles, shutting my eyes. Focusing on nothing but my breathing, I drift into the blissful state of mental calm. My entire body feels light, buoyant…But something in the back of my mind rises up and rings out, feeling as if someone's whispering it in my ear over and over…

"_Lord Orochimaru…" "Lord Orochimaru…" "Lord Orochimaru…"_

It's the voice from my premonition; the voice of the person I never saw. It's so hauntingly familiar, and it kills me that I can't place it. If I could, I'd be able to know who among us is in league with that snake bastard, and be able to exact a little revenge. True, his subordinate wasn't the one who marked Sasuke, but injuring Sasuke injured us all, so it's only fair that we get to hurt the people that answer to him. My mind is instantly drawn back to the curse mark, and to Sasuke. I've always known he's had those thoughts; I just choose to ignore them. My desire to have back the innocent, thoughtful friend I'd once known is inhibiting my ability to see Sasuke for who he really is. He's so stuck on killing Itachi…I don't want to think all the things he's done and said while we've been a team have been lies, or simply spur-of-the-moment notions, but it's hard to think well of him after seeing that. My mind tosses, turning the situation over and over again as my brain and heart bat it back and forth, each contrasting with the other. My heart wants to believe the Sasuke I used to know is still in him; my brain can only see the facts given to me, which point to Sasuke being nothing but an unemotional, revenge-driven…well, ass.

My eyes burst open at the sudden presence of a new mental signature, down by Sakura and Naruto. My gaze darts to them and I recognize the silver hair immediately. Kabuto. I leap down from my spot just as Sasuke darts toward them. As I approach them, I take in the scene. Naruto and Sakura, had Kabuto not stopped them, would have opened the scroll. _Wow. I thought Sakura was supposed to be the goodie-two-shoes of the group. So much for that._

"You're hopeless! I can't turn my back on you for one minute!" Sasuke berates coldly, glaring at the two of them. They share an equally abashed look and Sakura stutters,

"…I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry wouldn't have spared your asses if you'd gotten it open, now would it?" I ask coolly. Kabuto turns to me and grins.

"Ah, there you are." I give him a cocky smirk in return and say,

"What, miss me already? It's only been four days."

"You seem to be one of the only rookies who isn't a moron," he says and I shrug.

"Too true. But flattery will get you nowhere, I assure you," I say and he chuckles. Sasuke throws Kabuto a dirty look, but doesn't say anything, so I turn to Sakura and Naruto once again. "From now on, before you go off and decide to do something stupid, run it by me if Uchiha's not around, got it?" They nod and Kabuto starts on his own lecture.

"Last time I took this test, everyone who peeked at the scrolls was hit in the eye with a spell of hypnosis the moment they looked inside. They all lay unconscious here in the Forest of Death until after the exam was over." Hypnosis? That's all? I could probably break that down, at least in my own mind, unless it was a really powerful spell.

"And they weren't eaten? Shame," I comment and Kabuto shoots me a pleased grin. Sasuke's irritation continues to climb with every look Kabuto gives me, and he says (with a clenched jaw),

"What are you doing wandering around by yourself?" Sasuke's suspicion seems to amuse Kabuto, for he smiles as he replies,

"Well, I wasn't after your scroll, if that's what you're implying." Both boys' eyes dart to me and I arch an eyebrow at them. I can't stop the small smile that crosses my face, either.

"Probably not, or you could have just stolen it from Naruto right then. But you're still after a Heaven scroll, too, aren't you?"

"Nope…I've already got a set." He pulls them from his pouch, holding them for us to see. "But I got separated from my team. I'm on my way to join them at the tower now."

"Tease," I mutter, looking from the scrolls to his slate gray eyes. He chuckles as he stores them back in his pouch, then turns and calls,

"See you later!"

"Wait!" Sasuke says. Kabuto looks at him over his shoulder and he says, "Fight me." I immediately laugh, giving Sasuke an incredulous stare.

"Wow, Uchiha, aren't YOU the grateful type?" If he says anything in reply, though, I miss it as my mind is attracted to the presence of three other beings. They're close…within one hundred meters, easy…My eyes go to the trees, but I don't see anyone. I'd dismiss it if it weren't for the fact that we _have_ been alone for an entire day. It's also too much of a coincidence that, with however many teams there are left, a group decided to take a break so close to us. And they're not moving…suggesting we're being watched…

"Fight you?" Kabuto asks with a smile.

"S-Sasuke-!" Sakura starts, but Naruto cuts her off as he bursts,

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Are you joking?" Kabuto asks, sounding confident.

"I wish I were, but our time is almost up." That's very true. My gaze goes between Kabuto and Sasuke, waiting for one of them to make a move. Naruto continues, very loudly,

"Sasuke, think! Kabuto just saved our butts, you know!"

"Which wouldn't have needed saving if you two followed the rules," I growl, throwing them a look.

"I…I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I think Naruto is right," Sakura murmurs, and Sasuke retorts,

"Shut up…" He continues to stare at Kabuto, but his body isn't as tense as it usually is before a fight. Kabuto isn't showing any signs of pre-fight prepping, either. "There's no other way. I tried to warn you before. Challenging him is the only way we'll be out of the forest in time to pass this test."

"That's a lie," Kabuto says, immediately calling his bluff.

"…A lie?" Naruto asks.

"You're more interested in making a big gesture than in reaching your goal. Otherwise you wouldn't have run the risk of issuing that pretentious formal challenge. You put me on guard and assured yourself a fair fight. If you were truly committed, you would have just blindsided me. That's what being a ninja is all about." Kabuto smirks at Sasuke as he pushes his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. Both our other teammates eye the two of them warily, waiting anxiously for a response, or for Kabuto to continue. "I don't think less of you for being that way. In fact, let me show you the path you should tread."

"Well let's walk and talk," I murmur, throwing another distrustful glance at the woods. "Someone's already here."

"Really? That was fast," Kabuto says. "How can you tell?"

"I just can," I reply vaguely. "Let's go." He nods and the five of us take off. I stay at the back of the group, searching for any minds that are following too closely behind. As I hunt for mental signatures, I listen in to what Kabuto's saying.

"Are there even any enemies left this late?" Sasuke asks.

"Lots of 'em! If you were more alert, you'd know it, too."

"Oo, burn, Uchiha," I tease. Sasuke throws me back a glance, and it's not overly unfriendly. He's more amazed that I'd teased him, like I usually do.

"It takes intelligence to win battles in territory like a jungle or forest…and do you know the intelligent thing to do?" All three of my teammates draw blanks, so Kabuto continues, "We all share a common goal, right? The tower in the center of the forest. So the closer we get to the end of the exam, the more people will be carrying scrolls to the finish line, making the tower and its vicinity the likeliest place to find them."

"Oh! You're talking about an ambush!" Sakura bursts, smiling. "We make our target someone who's captured both Heaven and Earth scrolls and is taking them back to the tower." For a moment, she's pretty proud of herself for figuring it out, then Kabuto says,

"You're one third right."

"Huh?" she asks and I roll my eyes.

"First of all, you won't be the only ones who've figured that out."

"Obviously," I say.

"So there will are going to be a lot of desperate characters setting snares for the unwary around that tower." Naruto grins and says,

"I get it! While we're waiting to ambush them, they'll be trying to ambush us! Ha! I play my best games with a handicap! This is gonna be sweet! It'll be worth a little sweat if we get to kick everyone else's butts and walk away with the scroll we need to pass this exam!"

"Kabuto…what's the rest of the answer?" Sakura asks. My mind then fades out as I zone in on three characters, following behind us. They're the same minds I felt back at the river; that definitely can't be coincidence, meaning I was right. They were watching us, and they've chosen us to be their next targets. I pick up my speed until I'm right next to Sasuke.

"We're being followed," I murmur, not attracting the attention of the other three. His eyes dart to me.

"How closely?"

"Too close. They're not farther than two hundred meters, and they were watching us by the river." He nods and replies,

"I'll keep my eyes open." I nod and drop my pace until I'm behind the group again.

'_At least you still have faith in my abilities as a ninja,'_ he thinks sourly. I glare at his figure.

'_Don't push your luck. I just want someone to be aware of the danger, and yes, you're the best on the squad next to me. If I told Sakura, she'd flip; Naruto would insist we stop and face them head-on.'_

'_Very true,'_ he admits. He throws a look back at me and hesitates before asking,_ 'What am I going to have to do to earn your trust again?'_ I sigh exasperatedly and mutter,

'_I don't know. I just…'_ I huff in irritation. I can't put my feelings into words._ 'I don't like this.'_

'_Like what?'_

'_This entire situation. I want to trust you, but something in my gut tells me not to. It's…it's that fucking mark!'_ I suddenly notice how much closer we are; he's slowed down to my speed.

'_Why are you so against it?'_ he probes.

'_You don't know what you looked like when it had control over you – __who__ you looked like.'_ His piercing onyx eyes dart to me and he softly asks,

'_Who?'_ I swallow hard.

'_Like a cross between Orochimaru and your brother. I could see the emptiness that was in Itachi's eyes, and the madness that was in Orochimaru's. You even had that same sick, twisted look on your face.' _His face hardens, his jaw tightening at being compared with his brother. I sigh and tune back in to what Kabuto's saying, as does Sasuke. Conversation, over.

"And, as you can probably guess, most of these shrewd, ruthless teams never make the mistake of getting complacent or letting their guard down. Those are the deadliest and the worst!"

"So…that's why you didn't just take off after helping us. You're vulnerable, too!" Sasuke accuses. Kabuto looks back at us and Sasuke's lips curve into a smirk. "Safety in numbers, right?" Kabuto returns with a smile and says,

"Right! Doesn't hurt that I get to travel in such…attractive company." My eyes dart to Kabuto's face and he winks at me. I snicker and say,

"I thought I told you, flattery will get you nowhere."

"Nowhere fast, but I'm a patient man," he replies. Sasuke's anger flares, but he remains silent. Doesn't stop him from getting the smirk wiped off his face. But something in the back of my mind burns as I stare at Kabuto. Something's…still off about him. He seems like a good guy, but I can feel that something's amiss. I just can't place _what_, and it irks me to no end. Night falls, and we can finally see the tower looming in the distance. "We're within view of the tower…here's where the fun really begins."

"Loving the sarcasm, Kabuto," I mutter irritably, staring at the tall, lean building. He chuckles and, surprisingly, wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"Come on, have a little more optimism." I look up at him and find that he's giving me a very…sensual look. Wow, am I really _that_ attractive? I snort and say,

"Sorry, I'm a stubborn pessimist. But nice try." I playfully pat him on the cheek, but as we come in contact, I'm given a heavy dose of his mental signature and delve farther into his mind that I have before now. He's the one. That's why he's felt so off to me. He's the undercover agent for Orochimaru. I retract my hand as if scalded and retreat a few steps from him, my eyes wide with terror.

"Tami?" Sakura asks.

"Everything okay?" Kabuto asks. My gaze goes back up to him and I'm sickened by the incredibly realistic look of concern on his face. He does feel concern for _me_, but for the others, no. If I wasn't an empath, I'd never know the difference. I swallow and say,

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"You sure? You got pale really quickly," he continues. "My dad's a doctor, so I know a little about –"

"I'm fine. Totally cool," I reply, cutting him off.

"Then let's get to it!" Naruto shouts. Something rustles in the trees behind us and Sakura cries,

"An enemy – so soon?" Naruto spins and tosses a kunai knife right at the source of the noise.

"Over there!" he screams. It hits its target – the head of a massive centipede that had been making its way up the tree. Oh, that's disturbing. I'm not much one for insects to begin with, but this… "Aw man, it was a centipede!" All that screaming for a bug.

"A really big centipede!" Sakura elaborates. Kabuto just says,

"Wow!" and Sasuke mutters,

"That is so gross."

"Yeah, no kidding. But hey, a bug's a bug. At least it's dead, and not eating us alive," I say.

"Naruto," Kabuto says, turning to the blonde. "The idea here is not to attract any attention. Let me make this very simple for you – if we stomp through the forest like a herd of wild elephants, we're basically trumpeting our arrival to everyone around. And they'll throw us a welcome party, but one that we'll surely not enjoy! So starting now, let's keep it quiet and remain out of sight." I look up at him again, feeling strangely disappointed. It's like I'd _wanted_ him to be a good guy. I'd just met him…but he's been trying to play so sweet, so thoughtful, looking out for the little rookies…I sigh softly and Sasuke notices.

'_What? And what was with that reaction earlier?'_ I shake my head slightly.

'_I'll tell you later…maybe.'_

"Let's go, then," I say, and I start walking in the direction of the tower. The other four fall into step with me and we quietly trek through the forest. We continue for nearly two hours before Sakura whines,

"I-I'm sorry…I'm done…" She sinks to her knees, collapsing to the ground, and I say,

"Well, we'll come back for you in a few days, Sakura. Don't die on us."

"Sakura!" Naruto says, hurrying to her side.

"I-I don't know how far we've come, but the tower never gets any closer!" My eyes dart back to it and I realize that she's right. It's the same distance away, even though at our pace we should have covered at least a kilometer by now.

"It's bizarre. It's right in front of us, plain as day…" Naruto muses aloud.

"Apparently…we're already enjoying someone's warm welcome!" Kabuto says, his body immediately preparing itself to go on the defensive. He points to the right and says, "Look!" We all turn and from behind me I hear Naruto say,

"Aw, man! No way!" Sure enough, right on the tree next to us is the same centipede Naruto had killed two hours ago.

"Well, shit," I growl. My eyes dart to Kabuto. "Have you met guys like this in previous tests?"

"Not directly, but I know how they operate."

"A genjutsu?" Sasuke asks and Kabuto replies,

"Looks like it. And we fell for it! We've been very, very cautiously walking around in circles!"

"And undoubtedly, being watched," Sasuke growls. His eyes dart to me and I do a quick look-around. Sure enough, I find those same three minds, even closer to us now that they'd been before. I give him a quick nod.

"Whoever did this is waiting for us to wear ourselves out so they can move in and take us down."

"Then they must realize that our strength is fading," Sasuke mutters, and Kabuto confirms his suspicions as he says,

"So they'll make their move soon." I shut my eyes and feel dozens of chakras emerge near us.

"They're already coming," I say, sliding closer to them. Sure enough, one-by-one we start spotting doppelgangers, dressed in all black, surrounding us in all directions.

"Ha! Yep! Just about the perfect handicap!" Naruto says, grinning. One of the closest ones chuckles.

"You're all trapped like rats!" it says.

"Shut up!" Naruto bellows, taking a running start. He drives his fist into the doppelganger's stomach, but instead of vanishing, it splashes apart like a water clone. Not only that, but it doesn't disintegrate, like others do; instead, from the remains, a second head and torso develop. What in the hell are they? I've never seen doppelgangers that maintain their form once hit! Sasuke activates his Sharingan eyes and as the new form goes to carve Naruto up from behind, he tosses a handful of shuriken at it. They hit it dead in the arm, which also splashes apart, but the clone simply forms another, kunai knife and all. It spins and instead throws the knife at Sasuke. But…Sasuke doesn't move. I feel the rigidity of his body and fear consumes me – he can't move. I spin and start for them, but Kabuto beats me to him.

"What are you-? Get down!" He tackles Sasuke to the ground, but a moment too late; the knife grazes his arm, cutting through his skin. Blood blossoms over his white sleeve, but the wound isn't serious. I hurry over and kneel next to them.

"You okay?" I ask, looking at Kabuto. Why the fuck should I care? He's Orochimaru's little lackey…but he still took a hit for our team.

"Yeah, it's just a scratch," he replies. My gaze goes to Sasuke.

'_What's happening? My body won't obey my commands!'_ I feel the same searing on his shoulder from before – the curse mark's being tempted again.

'_It's the mark, Sasuke. Every time you try to tap into your chakra, it excites it. You should probably sit out for this one.'_

'_What? And leave you and Naruto to it? No way!'_ I grit my teeth and get up, turning from him and back to the doppelgangers. That's funny…the breathing apparatus the doppelganger's wearing looks a lot like… An incredulous laugh bursts from my lips as I recognize it.

"Well, karma's definitely a bitch, isn't it?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Sakura asks, helping Sasuke upright.

"Sasuke, recognize these guys?" He eyes them for a moment.

"No, should I?" I snicker and say,

"I'd think so. You stabbed someone who looks almost exactly like them within the first twenty minutes of the exam. Right in the arm." His eyes broaden as cognition finally kicks in.

"Ohh…yeah."

"Yaaay, a grudge match," I say. "Wonder if they realize it, too."

"Surrender your scroll!" the doppelganger demands.

"Like hell," I snarl.

"Does the fact that they physically hurt Kabuto mean these guys are solid doppelgangers and not just illusions? Even when doppelgangers have some substance, they usually fade away once you beat them, and these guys are still here, so is this genjutsu after all? Which is it?" Naruto demands, confused. "Blast it!" He starts to go for them again, but Sasuke shouts,

"Wait! It's no good!" Naruto freezes in place. "They ARE just illusions, genjutsu cast by the enemy."

"B-but…Kabuto's wound is real!" Sakura argues.

"No…Sasuke's right. The illusionist is watching from somewhere close by, synchronizing a real, physical attack with the movements of the enemies we think we're seeing!"

"Then let's see if we can dispel it, shall we?" I mutter aloud. I start making handseals, shutting my eyes to focus. If I can lock on to the mind of the illusionist…and tap into it…I can break the spell…It's all fuzzy, since we're trapped in this genjutsu, but I can faintly feel three real minds not farther than twenty meters away. I contemplate going straight for them, but I know they'll vanish before I can get there. They'll manipulate the genjutsu so that I can't find them, possibly even expanding it to trap us even further. Instead, I scan their minds for the one who's…there he is…Due to the space between us and the fact that I've never touched him, I struggle to get far enough into his mind for me to break down the jutsu. His focus is good, though, so it's right at the front of his conscious thoughts. I hit him with the jutsu and I feel his mind falter. Upon opening my eyes, I watch as the doppelgangers fade out of clarity. _Damn, so close…_ I shut my eyes and find the illusionist again, concentrating on his mind. One more time…

"Tami, look out!" My eyes burst open and I look up. There's a doppelganger right above me, his arm poised to bring a knife down on me. I circulate chakra to my feet and dart backwards right as he makes his move, dodging the blow in the nick of time. I groan and say,

"You know, there are so many opportunities we've missed over the past two months in which I could make things right as rain if I just had a little bit of _fucking_ _cover_!" The doppelganger follows me, throwing wild slashes at me. I dodge each one, finally reaching into my kunai pouch and withdrawing my own knife. I toss it and I hit him squarely between the eyes, halting him mid-step. His head melts away, but reforms flawlessly an instant later. This is such a load of bullshit. We spend the next two hours ducking, dodging, and just trying to stay alive while conserving as much of our energy as possible. It just drags on, with no end in sight, and it's driving me nuts. At last, Sakura whines,

"Ooh! How long can they keep this up?"

"How long can we?" Naruto shouts, crossing his fingers for his Kagebunshin no Jutsu.

"Naruto, no! Don't squander your chakra! A direct attack can't help us!" Kabuto warns, but Naruto doesn't heed his words.

"If we were to dissipate all the illusions simultaneously, whoever's casting them wouldn't be able to just hurl knives without us seeing where they're hiding!" he says and creates nearly thirty clones. It's an intelligent plan, but since we're in a genjutsu, I'm sure the illusionist could make us see whatever he wants us to. The horde of Narutos dive at the doppelgangers, plowing through them and splattering them all over the ground. We watch his onslaught, feeling a mix of cynicism and half-hearted hope. It'd be great if Naruto's plan works, but we all seem to be resigned to watching him fail. Sure enough, just as he finishes off the group in front of us, more doppelgangers materialize from the ground. I run my fingers through my hair in frustration and Naruto shouts, "Rats!" He and his clones go for them again, and it starts all over again. Half an hour later, I notice a soft, purple glow spreading across the sky from the east. Dawn's approaching, and we're running out of time. Unless we get these guys soon, getting their scroll won't matter because we'll run out of time before we can reach the tower.

'_There's got to be another way than this,' _I think._ 'Sakura's about ready to drop, and Sasuke's not much better…'_ I take a look at the other four, and my eyes rest on Naruto's doppelgangers. Huh…yeah, that could work_. 'Hey, Naruto.'_

'_Y-yeah?'_ he asks, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

'_When I tell you to, I want you to transform four of your doppelgangers into me, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kabuto, okay? I know the illusionists will make their move soon, and when they do, the four of us will get behind them and prevent them from escaping. Can you do that? Or is your chakra too low?'_

'_Yeah, I can do that! No problem!'_ Of course it's not a problem…

'_Okay…Let me tell the others so we can get out of the way…' _I back over to the others, pretending to check on them while I tell them the plan. When everyone's set, we sneak out of the way, hiding amongst the trees while Naruto presses on. One by one, 'we' sink to our knees, believably exhausted, and I hear footsteps to my right and turn, as do the others. There they stand – three shinobi in white jumpsuits. Standing in the center is the one Sasuke had wounded in the beginning of the exam, just as I'd thought. He recognizes 'us' as well, for he says,

"I know you! You're the one that maimed my shoulder! And here you are again, making us work hard all night. I'm so glad there's time for a little taste of payback!" 'We' all stare at them, but Naruto's lips curve into a devilish smirk. The four of us walk up behind them and Sasuke says,

"Now who's the trapped rat?"

"Nice work, Naruto!" Sakura cheers.

"Wh-what the-? No way! When-? How did they-?" the lead shinobi asks, bewildered.

"Suckers!" Naruto jibes, dropping the jutsu and revealing his doppelgangers. "Hey guys, you're showing your tails – just like the dirty, double-crossing demon-critters you are!" Naruto tries to get to his feet, but falls back to his knees.

"You've expended all your chakra, Naruto. I'll handle the rest," Sasuke says, and I roll my eyes. Tough words from someone who can barely stand from the pain of that curse mark. However, Naruto still refuses to stay down; he gets to his feet and lunges forward, driving his fist into one of the shinobi's faces, knocking him into his teammates and sending them all sprawling. We gape at Naruto in amazement; how is he still able to stand?

"No way! I won't stand around and let you have all the fun!" he says, panting.

"You do have some skill. However, that doesn't mean we're completely out of luck. But we're almost out of time!" He looks up at the sky and I see that light is steadily filling the sky now; the sun must be just coming up over the horizon. "So we're going to demonstrate our own ninja skills!" They create another mass of doppelgangers and I groan.

"Shadow doppelgangers?" Naruto asks, and Sasuke replies,

"No, just ordinary doppelgangers, but there's got to be more to them than this; stay alert!"

"Ha! If most of them are just illusions, then there's just one solid body. I'll just plow right through them until I get to the real guy!"

"That's a total waste of effort, bonehead," Sasuke chastises, but Naruto just retorts,

"Who asked you?" and takes a running start. Ah hell.


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello everyone! So...I finally got around to fixing this chapter...Sorry about that... -.-' Anywho, here's the section that was previously missing. So if you saw that a new chapter was up, this is it. Hahaha, as always, I don't own anything about Naruto but I do own everything I made up!_

**Chapter 13**

He starts diving through them, searching fruitlessly for the illusionist, but I can feel that he's not there. My chakra's running dangerously low, but I place my fingers to my temples and shut my eyes, searching for their minds. They're not within the crowd anymore…and they haven't retreated to the trees…they're still here, somewhere…I feel prickles of pain shoot through my neck, on its left side, and I involuntarily twitch. My eyes open and I see Sasuke take a deep breath, holding his hand up in a seal to concentrate his remaining chakra into his eyes. He activates his Sharingan and takes a look at the crowd, deducing what I had – that none of the figures Naruto's whaling on are real. His muscles around the curse mark contract and he collapses, his hand flying to his neck. Sakura rushes to his side and I hear her scream,

"Sasuke, don't use the Sharingan again!" Her cries attract Naruto's attention, and a doppelganger raises his arm to drive a kunai into his head. Kabuto leaps forward and grabs Naruto, pulling him out of the way. However, the knife goes through the skin near his kneecap and he clutches the spot.

"Kabuto!" Naruto shouts, then looks around at the doppelgangers. "Alright, you-!"

"Don't bother, Naruto!" Sasuke shouts. "It's a waste of time. There are no real bodies among them for you to hit."

"I could've told him that," I mutter sourly.

"But illusions can't stab and punch, you know! So where are the real attacks coming from?" he demands, and Sasuke snaps back,

"If I knew that, we wouldn't have to go through any of this! The mystery is the essence of their attack!"

"They seem to have reached their limits – how unfortunate!" one of the doppelgangers says and leaps at Naruto. I spot movement below him and squint at the form. Another doppelganger? No…that's a hand, and the real thing!

"Naruto! Below you!" I shout. The hand, however, doesn't go for Naruto – it goes for Kabuto. He turns and spots it a moment too late and the blade slices him across the bridge of his nose. The shinobi emerges from the ground completely and goes to finish Kabuto off, his friends in tow, but they freeze, and I see the change in Kabuto's face. _What…what's up with his eyes?_ Naruto runs up alongside them and drives his leg into one of their sides, knocking them all to the ground. They don't get back up, and Naruto says.

"Shame on you, letting your guard down like that…sucker!" Kabuto sits up and gives Naruto a sweet smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Phew! Thanks for the save, Naruto!" Ugh, he's playing the nice guy again. Sasuke's watching Kabuto closely, and I know he also saw that look on Kabuto's face. But what was it? Kabuto walks over to Sasuke and notices the marks spreading across his neck, but I ignore them both. Naruto gets up and crosses over to the three shinobi, digging through their pouches and finally withdrawing a Heaven scroll.

"It would've really sucked if they'd had an Earth scroll," I say, smirking.

"Yeah, it would've," Naruto agrees. We head to the tower and reach it without incident, thank goodness, and as we reach our set of double doors, Kabuto says,

"These are the doors we enter through. Good luck, everyone. Give it your best!"

"Yeah!" Naruto says. But I'm not going to let him go that easily. Not after finding out who he is.

"Hold on a second," I say. Kabuto smirks and says,

"Not ready to let me go? Knew I'd woo you eventually." Sasuke gives him another nasty look, but I say,

"Before I do this, I just want you to know – I do appreciate the help you gave us out there."

"Okay," he says, and I nod, then pull my fist back and drive it into his cheek. The blow knocks him off his feet and his teammates catch him as he falls back. Naruto and Sakura gape at me, and Sakura screams,

"Tami, what was that for?"

"Yeah, what'd I do?" Kabuto asks, wiping blood from his lip.

"I know who you really are," I say softly, my voice cold. "I know everything. Your little act didn't stop me from finding out – you can't hide the truth from me." He doesn't look surprised; his eyebrows just raise a little as he says,

"Ah. That explains it." He smiles at me once more and says, "You are, definitely, the most intelligent girl I've ever met." He gets back to his feet and says, "I'll see you around, Tami."

"For your sake, I hope not," I retort, then turn and push open our set of double doors.

"…There's no one here…" Naruto says, looking around.

"I'm alright, Sakura…You can let go," Sasuke says, pulling his arm from around her shoulders.

"Oh! Okay," she says, but I hear her thoughts.

'_Darn it! It was over too soon!'_ For some reason, I feel a spur of distaste in the pit of my stomach, and it's not necessarily over her stupid infatuation. Looking for something to distract me from them, my eyes dart up and focus on the banner on the wall.

"So what do we do now?"

"Hey! Look at that!" Sakura says. We silently read it and Naruto says,

"If Heaven…your desire…I don't get it. And what's with the blank space?"

"I think it refers to the scrolls," Sakura says. "I think maybe it's telling us to open both Heaven and Earth scrolls, but…" Naruto pulls them from his shuriken pouch and hands the Heaven scroll to Sakura. They put their hands to the ends, but hesitate a moment, worried of the repercussions Kabuto mentioned earlier.

"Just do it," I say exasperatedly. They nod and pull them open. Within is a single character, reading "person" or "humanity". I recognize the style it's written in – these are scrolls of summoning. "Throw them."

"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura ask, then realize that a thin cloud of smoke has begun rising from the paper. Sasuke realizes it too, and says,

"Do as she says! Drop them! Now!" Naruto and Sakura toss the scrolls from us and they skid to a stop on the floor, one on top of the other. The cloud intensifies until I feel the presence of a new mind. _Huh…I've met this person before…_The smoke clears, revealing Iruka, the chunin who'd administered my final exam.

"Hey, kids! It's been awhile, huh?"

"I don't understand!" Sakura says.

"You four really look like you've been through the wringer," Iruka teases, looking us up and down. "Especially you two," he adds, motioning to me and Sasuke. "Tami-chan, you are covered in blood."

"They all asked for it, promise," I say sarcastically, raising my hands in self-defense.

"Iruka-Sensei, what're you doing popping out of a summoning spell?"

"The spell was designed so we Chunin could greet the applicants at the end of the second exam. It was just good luck that I got to be the messenger for the four of you." He pulls out a pocket watch and clicks it open. "You barely made it!"

"Eh, we're just cool like that," I say.

"Congratulations. You all passed the second exam. This calls for celebration. I wish I could take you out for ramen at Ichiraku, but…" He stops when Naruto bursts,

"YEEESSS!" and jumps on him.

"Hey, Naruto! Let me finish!" he protests half-heartedly.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm so happy!" he cheers. Sakura, Sasuke, and I just sink to the floor.

"He keeps going…and going…"

"You act like you expect something else," I say, sighing. He snorts.

"You're right; at this point, I should just give up all hope of normality."

"You haven't slowed down a bit, eh, Naruto?" Iruka asks.

"Hmph, exactly," Sasuke says. "If we had sneaked a peak at the scrolls before the exam was over, what would you have done, Iruka-Sensei?"

"Sasuke, you're as sharp as ever," he says, picking the scroll up. He explains his orders and Sasuke turns to Sakura and Naruto.

"Now aren't you two glad you didn't open it?" Both of them breathe sighs of relief that Kabuto had come to the rescue, and that reminds Naruto of me punching him in his damn face.

"Hey, Tami, why'd you punch Kabuto like that? He did so much to help us – he didn't deserve that!" he says, frowning with his blonde eyebrows knitting together.

"Oh yes he did," I reply. "He deserved it more than you know. I read his mind when I touched him earlier, and found out something about him that's...irritating, to say the least."

"What was it?" Naruto asks, but I shake my head. Naruto admires Kabuto too much for me to tell him.

"It doesn't matter. It's over now."

"Oh, right! Iruka-Sensei, what can you tell us about the wall scroll? It looks like moths have been at it! And we couldn't figure out what it means!"

"Speak for yourself, I know what it means," I scoff. "Though Lord Hokage and I have different ideas of what qualities of Heaven are."

"Really?" Iruka says and I nod.

"The way he uses the term," I say, pointing up at it. "Is in reference to the mind, hence the 'acquire wisdom and knowledge to take your mind higher' bit. The 'Earthly qualities' he refers to are physical strength and bodily abilities. The Earthly part coincides with Sohma beliefs, but to us, 'qualities of Heaven' refer strictly to the soul. The mind is more of an intermediate between the soul and body than a Heavenly quality itself. True, knowledge is a great power, and most shinobi don't think about the power of the soul, but Sohma control over the soul is why we think of it the way we do."

"You have control over the human soul?" Sakura asks, looking skeptical.

"Yeah," I reply, looking at her. "Stage Five of my powers gives me the ability to destroy someone's soul."

"Whoa," Naruto says. "Have you ever gotten to use it?"

"No, stupid, she's only a Level Two!" Sakura chastises.

"I have, actually," I correct her, my voice hardening. They both turn to stare at me, and I can feel Sasuke's and Iruka's eyes on me as well. "Just once." A wave of understanding goes through them as they realize just when I'd used it, and they don't pursue the subject.

"So, does that answer your question, Sakura?" Iruka asks.

"Um…so Heavenly qualities means smarts?" she asks, and he nods, breaking into another explanation that's more detailed than the brief mentioning I'd done. He brings to attention Naruto's lack of 'qualities of Heaven', along with Sakura's absence of 'Earthly qualities'. His eyes focus on me and Sasuke when he says,

"And once you access the qualities of both Heaven and Earth, no mission, however dangerous, will be a wrong path for you. You'll be walking a safe path, even in the midst of the most perilous mission…That's it!"

"Then…what about the blank space? What goes there?" she asks.

"It's the character from the scroll, right?" I ask. "The one that was there before you appeared."

"That's right, Tami. The challenge of seeing who survived these past five days was a part of the exam designed to test the applicant's basic Chunin abilities. You passed with flying colors. Chunin are the unit commander class – responsible for leading their teams. They can only do so by a combination of intelligence and strength. I can't emphasize it enough. Learn it, live it. Believe it from the bottom of your heart! Keep the Chunin directive foremost in your minds as you move on to the next exam."

"Yes Sir," I say with a mock salute. He chuckles and says,

"That's it. That's the entire message."

"Yes Sir!" Naruto says, saluting for real. Iruka smiles, but it fades as he says,

"But…about the third exam…don't overdo things. Especially you, Naruto. I worry about you."

"The day I got the Konoha graduation headband, I stopped being a student! No need to worry about me!" Naruto says, puffing himself up. "It's proof of my maturity, and I got it from you, Iruka-Sensei! My temper hasn't changed any, and maybe I'm impulsive and full of energy, but I'm not a kid!"

'_Yes you are,'_ I think with a small smirk, watching him.

"I'm a full-fledged shinobi! You got that?" he says, looking proud. Iruka smiles, a little sadly, and says,

"…I see…my apologies, Naruto." I get to my feet again and say,

"Well, we'd better get a move-on. I imagine we're the last ones to pass, along with Kabuto's team, so we're probably holding everyone else up."

"Right," Naruto says. Sakura and Sasuke stand as well and I give Iruka a little wave.

"Nice talking to you, Sensei," I say. We then walk from the room. The next room over is even larger than the last, and sure enough the other teams are there. All six of them.

'_Wow, only six?'_ I think as we join them, standing one behind the other between Lee's and Kiba's teams. Lee gives me a broad smile and wave, which I return, and Kiba throws me a smirk from the front of his line.

"Congratulations to you all on passing the second exam!" Anko says, speaking into a headset. My eyes narrow guardedly as I stare at her, and even at this distance, if I concentrate hard enough on her I can feel the prickling in her shoulder. She has a mark, too, meaning she _is_ the one Orochimaru mentioned. My eyes dart to Lord Hokage, who's standing not very far from her. He must know…I can't imagine him not knowing. He must be here to keep an eye on her, then.

'_What's with that look on your face?'_ Sasuke asks. I let my gaze swing to him and stare into his onyx orbs…which is probably a…bad idea…Everything around us no longer takes dominance in my mind; I'm not paying attention to if Anko's saying anything, or if anyone's looking at us. It feels like I'm hypnotized, and I can't think straight. For a moment, I can't even remember why I wasn't speaking to him before. Oddly enough, he feels the exact same way, and his prior question just disappears. I snap back to reality when Anko says,

"Now the Lord Hokage himself will explain the third exam! Listen up and take every word he says to heart! They're all yours, my lord." Ugh, the way she says 'my lord' makes me want to gag. Backstabbing, two-faced, lying bitch.

"Very well," he says, walking forward. He explains to us the underlying meaning behind the exam – how this is a sort of war-in-miniature between the nations. He explains how the countries used to be in constant turmoil, squabbling amongst one another about which nation was supreme until the Chunin selection exam was created to satisfy the curiosities and bloodlusts of them all.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! I thought the point was to select Chunin!" Naruto shouts, outraged. Lord Hokage smiles and says,

"Make no mistake. When this exam is done, it will have had the side effect of winnowing out any applicants unfit to ascend to the level of Chunin. But even more importantly, it serves as an arena wherein, for the honor of their respective homelands, young shinobi may fight, to the death, if need be."

"The honor of their homelands?" Ino asks.

"The third examination will be conducted under the watchful eyes of a number of distinctive guests, including the rulers and nobility of the various lands you all aspire to serve. And among their number will be those who rule over each country's own Hidden Ninja Villages. They will be watching you." So we're going to go out there and fight – even kill – for sport? Whoo hoo. I'm leaping for joy. He continues to make the point that the nobles will be determining who the best ninjas-for-hire around are, which makes me feel all the more _fantastic_. It's looking less like we're valued as people, and more like we're valued as cows or something, to be pranced around and shown off in front of prospective buyers. Next thing we know, we'll have bells around our necks and brands on our asses…Lord Hokage continues with his little tirade about the balance of power between nations, and finally the mysterious boy from Sunagakure – Gaara – says,

"Whatever. Could you wrap up the philosophical talk and get down to the life-and-death stuff anytime soon?" Lord Hokage frowns and says,

"Hmph! So you insist I explain the third exam?" However, before he can, another ninja teleports to the floor before him. They exchange a few quick words, then the ninja stands and turns to us.

"Good to meet you, everyone. I'm Hayate. Before we start the exam, I must ask you all to do something for me." What, more forms? A miniature test? Jump up and down on one leg, last one standing wins? "Umm…you see…there are some preliminaries to the exam proper and whether you proceed to the main exam is contingent on how well you manage those."

"Preliminaries? Like what?" Shikamaru demands.

"Hayate-Sensei, I don't understand what you mean by preliminaries. Why can't all of the remaining applicants just proceed directly to the next exam?" Sakura asks.

"Well…I don't want to say that the first two exams weren't demanding enough, but we still have too many applicants."

"So they weren't demanding enough," I say, smirking.

"Under the traditional rules of the exam, we have to have a preliminary test to reduce the number of applicants who'll proceed to the third exam. As Lord Hokage mentioned, a number of honored guests will be observing you during the third exam, so we must make the exam intense, tight, and fast-moving. Hmm…so anyway…Now that you know something of what it's really all about, anyone who doesn't feel up to the challenge, either mentally or physically, can walk away. Just take one stop forward. Because the preliminaries start right now!" A hysteric laughter slips from my mouth before I can stifle it, and just about everyone turns to me. Hayate looks around my teammates and says, "What's so funny?"

"So not only are we going to fight for the entertainment of some rich people we will probably never meet and don't care about, being paraded around like show dogs or cows, but now we're going to fight – right after we battled our way through five days in the Forest from HELL – just to make sure that we're not missing anybody who ended up in here because of a fluke or something. So dealing with Ibiki the Sadist and that crazy woman wasn't bad enough, huh? I'm just surprised you people have it in for us so badly." Kakashi's trying his hardest not to laugh, and Lord Hokage says,

"You don't care that you may be able to show off your talent in front of future employers?"

"Not really, Sir, no. The Chunin exam should be about choosing the shinobi best suited to lead squadrons of their peers into battle, not about appeasing the bloodlusts of some wealthy old men. They're not going to remember my name anyway – I'll be randomly selected for my missions when I report for duty most of the time, just as genins are randomly assigned the menial work. If there are assignments requiring my area of expertise, then I'll be given the assignment by a higher ranking shinobi who knows me, not the person paying for the mission. So no, Sir, I really don't give a-"

"Language," Kakashi says and I hear a soft ripple of laughter erupt from a few people near me. A silence falls for a moment, then Kabuto raises his hand and says,

"Well, I'm outta here!" My eyes widen in surprise – he's actually quitting? Then I take a look around – that would make only twenty-one remaining applicants.

"Oh no you don't! You keep your ass where you are!" I snap. He looks back at me, surprised, and I say, "Unless someone else is going to drop out, which I highly doubt, you leaving would mean an uneven number of fighters. Someone who have to fight twice, which would give one person an unfair advantage over the person who'd already fought." He smirks at me and says,

"Fine, I'll stay. Just because you're so cute when you're angry." I roll my eyes and face forward.

"…Okay then," Hayate says slowly, his eyes going between us. "Uhh, in case I forgot to mention it, from here on in, you fight as individuals, not team members. So you can make the decision that's right for you without worrying about anyone else. So anyone else want out? Show of hands?" No one raises one. Sasuke's eyeing Kabuto warily, something not sitting right with him, but a sudden throb on his shoulder steals his attention. He grips it, wincing in pain, and Sakura puts her hands on his shoulders. "So, uh…looks like no one's bailing out," Hayate muses.

"S-Sasuke, maybe you should quit, too!" I snort, arching an eyebrow at her.

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Ever since Orochimaru attacked you, you haven't been yourself! That mark on your skin is hurting again, isn't it? And it just keeps getting worse!"

'_What mark?'_ Naruto thinks.

"Please…" Tears well up in her eyes _again_ and I roll my own. "Please withdraw. I…I'm afraid."

"You're always afraid," I snarl nastily. "Afraid, or sad, or something stupid." She glares at me through her tears.

"At least I _care_ about my teammates! Someone has to look out for them, when they won't look after themselves!" I return the look, using my small height advantage against her as well, to make myself more imposing and threatening.

"And what makes you think they need you to look after them so much, when you can barely even take care of yourself? Neither Sasuke nor Naruto are dead yet – they know their own limits. They know what they can and can't handle." She looks past me to Sasuke and says,

"You're in no shape to fight, Sasuke!"

"Shut up…" he groans, his hand still on his shoulder.

"Sasuke, I know that you've barely been able to contain the pain all this time!"

"I said…!" he starts, his voice dangerous.

"You leave me no choice! If you won't listen to reason, I'm going to tell the teachers about that mark! And then-!" She starts to lift her hand, but he grabs her wrist and forces it down.

"Keep your mouth shut! Not a word about the mark!" he hisses. Her face contorts with a sob.

"Why do always have to act so strong? I can't bear to watch you suffer, Sasuke!"

"Ugh," I groan.

"It's my decision, and it's none of your business! This pain is my burden to bear – alone. Remember what I told you, Sakura? I'm an avenger. This is more than just a test for me. And I don't care whether I attain the level of Chunin or not. "Am I strong?" Finding that out is all that matters to me now. I'm here to test myself against the best of the best. And the best opponents I could find are all around us, here and now."

"Hey, idiot! Why the heck are you trying to act so cool? Sakura's worried sick about you! Don't you care?" Naruto gripes, but Sasuke smirks and says,

"Naruto, you're one of the ones I want to fight." Naruto's taken aback, his sky blue eyes going wide. Another pulse from the curse mark sends a wave of pain through Sasuke and I can feel waves of anxiety go through a handful of the proctors. My gaze immediately goes to Anko, and I glare at her again. She must know what's happening to Sasuke, since she has one, too.

'_There you go with that look again,'_ Sasuke thinks_. 'What's with you?'_

'_Anko has a curse mark, too. And Orochimaru thought about her specifically before he left us. Said he was going to pay her a visit. I'm wondering if she's in league with him,' _I answer.

'_Ohh,'_ he says, also looking at her. Hayate quickly explains the setup of the preliminary rounds – one on one matches, no holds barred. _Fantastic._ A portion of the wall rolls up to reveal an electronic score board, which will randomly generate the names of the combatants.

"So, um…not to hurry all of you to the slaughter, but let's begin. We'll now announce the first two names." We all stare up at the screen, and a moment later two names are illuminated in green – Yakushi Kabuto and Sohma Tami.

"Dude, it is so rigged," I say, but grin. I walk past my teammates as Kabuto steps forward from his and we approach Hayate.

"Good luck, Tami!" Naruto yells.

"Everyone other than the two combatants should move to the upper gallery now," Hayate says, gesturing to them. Everyone walks up the stairs, including the proctors and our senseis, and Kabuto and I face each other.

"Happy now, Tami?" Kabuto asks. "After all, I stayed just for you."

"Mm, how sweet," I reply with a smirk. "Don't think your kindness is going to spare you from getting your ass kicked. After all…" My eyes narrow and go cold, my body preparing to go on the offensive. "One punch didn't quite satisfy my desire to cause you pain."

"Ah, come now, Tami, being part of a world of shinobi practically _requires_ people to be covert operatives for enemy nations," he purrs, too low for anyone else to hear him. I grit my teeth.

"They're going to scrape you off the floor in a big, gooey mess when I'm done with your ass."

"Sohma Tami, Yakushi Kabuto, you two have been selected for the first fight. Any disagreements?"

"Zero," I reply.

"None here, either," he agrees.

"Very well, then the first match of the preliminaries commences…now!" He retreats a few steps, but Kabuto and I just stare one another down.

"Your move," he says.

"Ladies first," I retort with a nasty smirk. "I insist." He sighs and says,

"This playful banter is all well and good, but could we hurry this along? I have somewhere I need to be."

"Yeah, I bet you do," I snarl, and I circulate my chakra to my feet. I make a quick set of handseals and say, "Fine, then I'll go first." I dart forward and he simply stands there, looking nonchalant.

'_Wonder what kind of jutsu she has up her sleeve. Probably nothing worth fearing, though she IS rather intelligent and perceptive…'_ I smirk and reach forward, my hand going for his face. Once I have him paralyzed, then I'll REALLY pay him back for backstabbing us. For a moment, it looks as if he's going to just stand there and let me touch him, but at the last second he twists, dodging my outstretched hand. _Damn._ Once one of my feet gets solid traction with the floor, I rotate and swing my other leg toward him. He slides back, bending forward and keeping his midriff out of range of the blow. _Damn again_. I plant both feet firmly on the ground and turn, lunging for him with my hand curled into a fist, ready to drive it into his damn face. He catches it with a cocky smirk, but I pull, dragging him closer and I sink my knee into his gut. His breath leaves him in a quiet _whoosh_ and he staggers back, releasing my fist as he clutches the spot.

"Damn, you hit hard," he groans, gasping for air.

"Appears I do," I retort, watching him. "You know, for wanting this to wrap up quickly, you're not making this as easy as it could be."

"Well, figured you'd be trying to land a death blow, and I really can't have that," he says.

"Hardly. I have no interest in killing you – here and now, anyway. Later, maybe, but not right now. I have other plans," I reply. I want to see what he and Orochimaru are up to; why they want Sasuke as badly as they do. Despite Kabuto's friendly manner in the forest, I distinctly remember picking up cold vibes from him whenever he addressed or looked at Sasuke. Why? Does he think Sasuke's a threat to his place in Orochimaru's inner circle? Is he jealous?

"I still don't want to make it too easy for you," he replies, smirking at me. "You're better than that." He's still a little hunched over, so I swing my leg up and slam my foot into his cheek. I feel it crack as it dislocates and he groans in pain. The sound reverberates through the room and a few people wince, imaging what that felt like. "Ouch," he mutters.

"What was that about not going easy on me?" I ask, giving him a cold smirk. "Not that I'm complaining." He straightens up, rubbing his jaw gingerly.

"Fine, let's get serious then." He circulates his chakra to his feet and propels himself toward me, but I see his plan of action running through his mind. He swings his arm forward but I throw up a block and parry it. We keep on with hand-to-hand for several minutes, giving me the opportunity to dig further into his brain and find out the things I want to know. Orochimaru's still here, watching us – where, I don't know. He doesn't intend to kidnap Sasuke, it seems; instead, he's going to tease Sasuke with promises of special training to lure him into leaving Konoha on his own. He's already begun to sow the seeds of discontent within him by giving him a taste of the power of the curse mark. This, however, I fully intend to put a stop to. That damn mark doesn't just endanger Sasuke – it endangers everyone around him, who are easy prey when he falls under that state he was in before…when he was covered in those black marks…Hopefully there's some way to bind the spell and keep it from taking hold, or that there's some kind of control Sasuke can learn. But question is, will he allow us to seal it if there's a way? Kabuto doesn't know everything; there are gray areas in his understanding of Orochimaru's interest and plans, which don't help me. I bend backwards to dodge a punch and pull a kunai knife from its holster. He spots it and draws his own weapon, and once I straighten up we clash, holding one another without budging an inch.

"Well, seems you don't know as much as I thought," I remark. "And I've found out all I needed from you. So thanks for putting up a fight, but…" I make a quick seal with my left hand, then drop my block, dodge the blade, and put my right palm to his forehead. For a moment, he seems unaffected, then his eyes slide shut and he drops to the floor like a stone, _whump_. There's a silence for a moment, then I look up at Hayate. "Do you want to call this, or should I?" He coughs, then gestures to me and says,

"Winner of the first fight – Sohma Tami."

"WOOOOO! Go Tami!" Naruto cheers enthusiastically.

"Way to go, girl!" Kiba adds, grinning. I arch an eyebrow at them both, unable to keep the smirk from my own face.

"I feel like I should bow or something," I say, pushing my chakra to my feet and using it to propel me upwards as I jump. I land on the railing, then lower myself onto the concrete floor of the gallery.

"Well done," Kakashi says.

"He went easy on me," I mutter in reply. I shoot another look back down at him; he's being carried off by medic nin. "He said that there's somewhere else he needs to be. He'll probably be awake and gone in a matter of minutes."

"What'd you do to him to make him collapse like that?" he asks.

"Knocked him out, but it's not very deep. My chakra's nearly completely expended after those five days in the Forest of Death, so there really wasn't a whole lot I could do. I can barely even read minds right now; everything's a little fuzzy."

"Really?" Sakura asks, having overheard me. "You can't?"

"Well, I can, but in order for it to be clear, I have to touch you," I reply. "After all, my kekkei-genkai's just like anyone else's; if I don't have enough chakra, I can't use it. However, my body will put chakra to my mind-reading before all else, unlike everyone else's abilities. There's less of a choice for me; my kekkei-genkai's more on auto-pilot."

"Oh," she says. "But isn't it bad to keep using your chakra while you're so low?"

"Well, yeah, obviously," I answer. "But like I said, I don't have a choice. I have to keep using it until I pass out, or until I just naturally recover my strength. The level of clarity with which I 'hear' will decline, but it won't completely stop. I'll be fine, anyway, so this entire conversation is pretty pointless." She shuts up, giving me a slightly irritated look, and we instead turn to look at the electronic scoreboard. Names are shuffled around for a minute, then freeze on two – Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi. One of Kabuto's teammates jumps down with Sasuke and they take their places on the floor.

'_Sensei,'_ I say, sliding a little closer to Kakashi and pressing my index finger to his wrist.

'_What is it?'_ he asks, eyeing the look on my face carefully.

'_Are you sure it's a good idea to let Uchiha compete?'_ I ask. _'He's chakra's nearly gone, and that mark's about to get ugly again.'_

'_I'm keeping an eye on him. If he gets out of control, I'll stop him.'_

'_Not saying that I doubt your abilities, Sensei, but last time it took over, things got a little…scary. Uchiha was able to pick up me, Sakura, and Naruto and get us out of the way of a blast in the amount of time it took to __blink__. I'm sure you already know what it does, since…'_ My eyes dart to Anko, who's standing at the Hokage's side. Kakashi follows my gaze.

'_Anko? How'd you know she has one?'_

'_We faced Orochimaru and I heard his thoughts. He said something about paying Anko a little visit. Is the Hokage here to keep an eye on her?'_

'_He came to help her with the pain of the mark, as well as to greet those who passed the second exam, but to keep an eye on her? No, not really.'_

'_Why the hell not?'_ I demand, turning to look up at him. _'She's in league with Orochimaru!'_

'_She was, but she defected back to Konoha. He used her, just like he uses everyone, and it hurt her. She's on our side; she tried to __kill__ Orochimaru in the forest, once she realized he was here. She found the bodies of the three genin he and his team impersonated and recognized his handiwork.'_ I throw another glare down at her. She seems to feel it, because her eyes flicker up in my direction.

'_I still don't trust her. Let me guess – she left for power, too?'_

'_I don't know. Anko and I aren't close. But get that look off you face, Tami; she hasn't given us reason not to trust her.'_ I look back up at Kakashi.

'_She hasn't given YOU any, but just knowing Orochimaru is enough to make me dislike her. Glad to know we so generously welcome traitors back into our midst.'_ Kakashi sighs exasperatedly.

'_You're letting your personal experiences blind you to reason, Tami.'_ I give him a look that clearly asks, 'Seriously?' but I don't reply. My eyes instead focus on Sasuke's match. Wow, he's getting his ass _handed_ to him. Sasuke and Yoroi are on the floor, seemly pinning one another, but Sasuke's strength seems to be fading with every second Yoroi's hand is in contact with him. What the hell is he doing to Sasuke? He lets go of Sasuke, then curls his hand into a fist and brings it down into his stomach, sending unbelievable pain coursing through him. Sasuke lies there, twitching and wondering where all his strength went.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screams. He manages to sit upright, only for Yoroi to firmly plant his hand against Sasuke's forehead, knocking him back to the floor and holding him down. For a minute, Sasuke feebly tries to resist him, his hands clutching weakly at Yoroi's arm, but his arms finally give out and fall limply to the floor.

"You're…feeding on my chakra!" Sasuke accuses, finally figuring it out. I feel a strong wave of eager anticipation from someone nearby and look around. I recognize that feeling…I felt it before…it came from… My eyes lock onto a man standing on the opposite side of the gallery, staring down at Sasuke with the same look I've seen him wear before. He's got a new face on now, but I can see through his disguise to the real man.

It's Orochimaru.

"That bastard," I breathe.

"What?" Naruto asks, trying to follow my gaze. Kakashi does as well, noticing who I'm staring at.

"The Jonin from Otogakure? What's so bad about him?" Kakashi murmurs.

"He's Orochimaru," I snarl in reply, glaring now. No one has even noticed. How the hell can our esteemed Lord Hokage be so blind? Kakashi takes another look at him.

"Are you serious? How can you be sure?" I look up at my sensei and tap my forehead.

"I can tell." Kakashi nods, but doesn't reply. His mood has taken a shift for the serious, though, and his revealed eye is locked onto Orochimaru now, who doesn't even notice us. He's staring down…almost _hungrily_ at Sasuke, and I follow his gaze down to watch the match below. Sasuke finally kicked Yoroi off of him, but one more instance of contact and he'll be down for the count. His mind is in full gear, anxiously trying to figure out how to take down Yoroi without subjecting himself to chakra depletion.

"How can you call yourself Uchiha Sasuke? You're a disgrace to…to yourself!" Naruto suddenly bursts and I roll my eyes. Can't keep his mouth shut, can he? "Aren't you embarrassed to have everyone see you as a big loser?" Sasuke looks up at Naruto for a moment, looking irritated, then he spots Lee, who's standing on Naruto's other side. An idea hits him just as Yoroi comes running, ready to finish him off.

"You couldn't have picked a worse time to let your mind wander!" Yoroi taunts, but just as he comes within range, Sasuke leans back, putting his weight on his hand and swinging his leg up to drive it into Yoroi's chin…just like the Kagebuyo technique Lee used on him before the start of the exams. Oh, wow. He _hardly_ has the strength to pull this move off; if he does it without _killing_ himself, it'll be a miracle.

"Sensei, don't you think we should stop him?" I ask. "I've seen what this move does to a person; chakra use or no, this will absolutely fry Sasuke and he'll be easy prey to that damn mark."

"I won't interfere until it takes hold," Kakashi says. I feel a pulse of fiery, searing pain shoot through my shoulder and clutch the spot.

"Well, I guess you won't have much longer to wait," I growl. His eyes fly to Sasuke and sure enough, I can see the thin, squirming marks spreading from the base of his neck. He coughs up blood and every muscle in his body seizes in a series of painful spasms. However, even as the marks crawl across his skin, his resolve doesn't diminish; in fact, it grows stronger.

'_They worry…maybe too much,'_ he thinks as visions of Sakura and Naruto pop into his head. _'I'm not just gonna…lie back and let it…' _He takes a deep breath and concentrates. _'Consume me!' _I watch in amazement as the marks obey his will, receding back to the curse mark and vanishing from sight. Holy… Even at the edge of his breaking point, Sasuke won't go down without a fight, that's for sure. My eyes dart down to Orochimaru and I find him looking less than pleased with Sasuke's refusal of the curse mark's power. This time he seems to feel my gaze, for he meets it and I can't help but smirk at him. Yeah, what _control_ you have over him. Fucking prick. His glare intensifies, but I take instead to watching Sasuke. He puts his hand to Yoroi's side and pushes against him, turning himself in midair to drive a kick into his side. Yoroi blocks, saying,

"Stupid amateur!" but Sasuke's already thinking ahead. He pushes off using his leg and spins to Yoroi's other side, bringing the back of his left fist into Yoroi's stomach. Blood sprays from Yoroi's mouth and falls to the floor below. Using the momentum, Sasuke continues to spin, his right fist landing a second blow in the same place. This time ribs shatter and Yoroi coughs up more blood. They're within three feet of the ground now, and Sasuke's ready for the final blow. He swings his left leg down and sinks it into Yoroi's brutalized midsection, drilling that cocky bastard into the floor. Yoroi's body convulses with pain before sinking completely against the floor, and his vision goes black. Sasuke's sent skidding away from him, first on his ass before being flipped and sliding to a halt on his stomach. Wow, that was pretty lame-looking. At least he won. A victory's a victory. Hayate looks from one to the other, then smiles as Sasuke sits up on his knees, wiping blood from his mouth.

"I'm halting this match before it goes any further. In other words, Uchiha Sasuke is the champion of the second battle and advances past the preliminaries to the next level." Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.

"I'm going to need your help. Ready to go?" Kakashi asks and I nod. We jump down and as Sasuke starts sinking back, Kakashi catches him with his knee. "Hey! Well done!" he says appraisingly.

"Yeah, you didn't fuck up as badly as I expected you to," I sneer. He rolls his eyes at me, but for some reason my insult didn't get under his skin much.

"Hey, Sasuke! You won, but in such an uncool way!" Naruto mocks. "And you came out looking like you're the one who got beat up!"

"I don't know…Yoroi's looking a little worse for the wear, isn't he?" I ask, smirking and gesturing to the lifeless body being carried from the room. Naruto shrugs. All around me I can hear the thoughts of our proctors and fellow genin, all impressed with Sasuke's comeback and victory. I could gag from all the praise.

"Can we hurry and go? It seems like the people in this damn room are about ready to drop to their knees and worship this ass as some kind of fucking god or something," I snarl. Kakashi notices the particularly hostile manner of my tone, but decides not to press it. One of the medic nins approaches us and says,

"Uchiha Sasuke, we must escort you, too, and put you under the care of the medical corps, so you can get the best possible treatment."

"You have no idea what you'd be getting yourselves into," Kakashi says.

"Yeah, all he'd do is bitch," I comment.

"I'll take him," Kakashi continues, ignoring the remark for the meantime. "He can come with me right now, and…" He puts a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and murmurs, "I'll seal away the curse mark." Sasuke's eyes broaden and we hear Hayate say,

"Well then, let's get the next match going!"

"Can't this wait? I want to watch everyone else compete!" Sasuke argues, but Kakashi snaps,

"No! Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment! This thing is spreading like a disease, and it's already close to the point of no return. I let you have your own way once and it's made you greedy."

"Yeah, now get up, you ass, because the less time I have to spend in your presence, the better," I growl. I look up at the scoreboard to see who's going next – Shino and Zaku. "We'll ask Sakura and Naruto the outcomes of the matches later." Kakashi helps Sasuke to his feet and we start to leave the arena, but Naruto shouts after us,

"HEEEY! Where you going, Tami?" I turn and call back,

"Helping Kakashi babysit the ass. We'll be back later, loudmouth. Don't fuck up!" I then wave and turn, hurrying to catch up with the other two. Kakashi leads us down into the basement of the building, and chills run up my arms. It's cold down here, and there's a dim light every fifteen feet or so, making it dark as well. "Why here?" I ask.

"We didn't have time to get him all the way to the hospital, and the fewer people that know, the better," Kakashi replies. I nod and just walk dutifully at his side. Sasuke's on his other side, and hasn't said a word this entire time. Kakashi stops in a small clearing in the pillars and looks around. "This is good. Sasuke, lose the shirt, please." He merely nods and his hands go to his collar, pulling it up and over his head. Kakashi removes his glove and pulls a kunai knife, pressing it to the palm of his hand and dragging it across his skin. "Tami, if this goes awry, I need you to use any methods you can to subdue Sasuke."

"Subdue? There's a lot of wiggle room with that word, Sensei," I say, smirking. "I mean, subdue could easily be swapped for neutralize, or – "

"Just knock him out, smart ass," he says, sounding a little exasperated. I snicker.

"Is that really all you brought me for?"

"I also need you to be a look-out, of sorts. You can feel presences, and you know who we don't want down here," he replies, his eye darting around as if expecting Orochimaru to materialize from the shadows. I nod, then say,

"…That's it?" Kakashi arches an eyebrow at me.

"Were you expecting something else?" I hold my hand out to him.

"It'll go faster with two of us. Give me your hand." He takes my outstretched hand and I shut my eyes, studying the jutsu he intends to perform. I look very meticulously at the signs he has to draw, their placements, and their meanings. I take a look at the intended finished seal – a circle with ten kunai, ten strands of seal signs – then I let go of him. "I'll take the front five, you take the back five. It'll take half the time." I take the knife still in his hands, wipe his blood on my already stained capris, then drag the blade down my own palm. "Let's get started before yours scabs over." I walk over to Sasuke and drag him into the center of the room, position him facing the right direction, then kick his feet out from under him so he falls to floor. He lands with a groan of pain and snaps,

"What the hell is YOUR problem?"

"Shut up, you prick, and grow a pair," I retort, glaring at him. He returns the look and snaps,

"You know, at least I'm going along with this! I didn't argue against getting it sealed! You can stop treating me like I'm the damn bad guy!"

"Ugh, your poor choice of words is rubbing off on him," Kakashi groans, looking up at me.

"Does he really need to be awake for this?" I ask. "Because I could knock him out, but keep his muscles taut so he's sitting up."

"Oh yeah? Like to see you try," Sasuke says, putting his hands flat on the floor and readying himself to get up. I smirk at him.

"Oh? What're you going to do to stop me, huh? You couldn't beat _Sakura_ in your state." He opens his mouth to fire back another retort, but Kakashi barks,

"Alright! Lover's quarrel over! Sasuke, shut up! Tami, shut up and get to work!" Sasuke shuts his mouth, but I say,

"We'll have a talk later over _your_ choice of words, Sensei."

"Fine! _Later_!" he agrees, shooing me into work. I sink to my knees in front of Sasuke and start on the center string of signs, making them from the curse mark down his chest.

'_You sure you can do it right?' _Sasuke snarls. I give him a nasty smirk.

'_Guess you'd better keep your fingers crossed that I can, huh? Who knows what might happen if I make them wrong. You could end up having all your chakra sealed, and never being able to use it again. Or it may unleash the curse mark irreversibly and we'd have no choice but to kill you. Hell, maybe it would make you sprout a third arm and you'd be mocked for the rest of your life.'_ He glares at me and I say,_ 'You started it.'_

'_Quite to the contrary, YOU started it by being a bitch,'_ he replies.

'_My, Kakashi's right. You ARE picking up my vocabulary,'_ I say. _'I should pat myself on the back.'_ I notice the signs I've drawn are starting to drip, so I take a deep breath and gently blow on them. Sasuke shudders and says,

'_What is that for?'_

'_I'm drying the seals so they won't run together. Since it's cold down here, they'll dry pretty quickly, but your skin's still warm and it's causing the blood to drip.'_ He nods and falls silent, letting me focus on my work. About ten minutes later, we're finished.

"Good…looks like everything's in place," Kakashi says. "Tami, step outside of the circle, please." I nod and carefully step over the seals to the outside of the ring. Kakashi makes a few hand seals and says, "Just a little longer and it'll be all done." He finishes his series of seals and places his hand to Sasuke's back. A searing throb of pain rips through Sasuke's shoulder and I watch as the blood seals start sliding toward him, getting sucked toward the curse mark. Sasuke stifles cries of pain as the curse mark and the jutsu fight for dominance, but as the last seals reach his neck, the pain dies away. Kakashi pulls his hand away and Sasuke sinks forward onto his hands and knees, his breath coming in gasps.

"Even if the curse mark awakens again, the power of this fujahoin spell should contain it. But…Sasuke, the foundation of the spell's power is in the strength of your own will. You have to want it to work, and you must believe in your own power to control it. If you don't, the curse could have its way again," Kakashi explains. Sasuke's eyes dart to me and I return his gaze with a wary stare. So…he has to _choose_ whether or not he wants it sealed. If he decides to use the power of the curse mark again, the spell will break anyway…I'd feel better if it wasn't optional. Sasuke seems to see this in my eyes, for he opens his mouth to say something, but whatever he's about to say is lost as he collapses to the floor, completely exhausted. "You're so worn out, I barely recognize you," Kakashi says. I suddenly feel the presence of another person down here and it sends chills up my spine. How'd he get down here without me feeling it?

"Sensei, he's here!" I hiss, darting toward him. He and I take opposite sides of Sasuke's unconscious form, looking around in the darkness. I look in his direction and his voice purrs,

"So…you've mastered the spells of sealing, Kakashi? Looks like you're all grown up." Kakashi turns in that direction as well and Orochimaru emerges from the shadows, leaning against one of the polls. "It's been a long time."

"…Orochimaru," Kakashi murmurs, staring him down.

"Pardon my rudeness, Kakashi, but I have no use for you. I'm here about the boy behind you." His golden eyes flicker to Sasuke, then up to me. "Ahh, the charming girl from the Forest of Death. The one with the…intriguing jutsu." I don't reply to that comment, but my body becomes a little tenser.

"What do you want with Sasuke?" Kakashi asks.

"Oh, you know how it is…two guys have something…and a third one's just got to get it, too!" This confuses Kakashi – there were only two Uchihas left, so how could three possess…? "You haven't had it for very long yourself, you know. Know what it is yet?" It finally registers in Kakashi's mind. He doesn't care about the boy himself, he just wants… Orochimaru licks his lips greedily and hisses, "It's the Sharingan!" Kakashi blinks, his face completely impassive. "I must possess Uchiha blood!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"What for?" Kakashi asks.

"The newly created village of Otogakure…that's my home, you see…is it becoming clear?"

"So it's just your greed…and delusions of grandeur," Kakashi accuses.

"I suppose you could say that," Orochimaru concedes. "Good help is so hard to find these days, and I need all sorts of pawns at my disposal."

"So you think that Sasuke is one of your pawns?" Kakashi asks.

"Oh, he's a very special pawn. A real keeper," Orochimaru replies, smirking. I listen to their back-and-forth intently, trying to put the pieces together. If Sasuke is just another pawn, why all the fuss about him? Why is Orochimaru so keenly interested in him? These are questions I'd like to ask, but don't. Kakashi steps in between Orochimaru and Sasuke.

"Stay away from Sasuke," he warns. Even without handseals, a blue, crackling light erupts in Kakashi's palm and the sensation is…familiar. It's the same one he tried to use on Zabuza during our last fight on the bridge. "Even if you are one of those three ninja, the man I am today can take you down!" Orochimaru smirks and a soft chuckle erupts from his mouth, followed by more until he's just _laughing_ at Kakashi. "What's so funny?"

"You say one thing, and do another. The curse-binding spell you placed upon Sasuke was futile! When a heart is sufficiently focused and ruthless in its desires, then, for good or evil, the ends will justify any means. Sasuke possesses such a heart…the heart of an avenger!" I flinch slightly; those are the very words Sasuke has used to describe himself.

"So that's how you got your hooks into him," Kakashi muses. "But Sasuke's not-!"

"A day will come when he will seek me out, hungry for power!" Orochimaru says, turning and starting to walk away from us.

"Sadly enough, I don't doubt it," I say and Orochimaru freezes.

"Oh?" he says, smirking at me over his shoulder. "Such doubting words from a dear comrade."

"I know how Sasuke works," I say, looking down at his unconscious figure. "I'm not saying he will, I'm simply saying it wouldn't surprise me." Orochimaru continues to smirk at me, his eyes...analyzing, it seems.

"And what of you, I wonder," he muses. "You seem to possess intriguing qualities of your own."

"Yeah, and I'd rather get eaten by a fucking tiger than hand myself over to you, you psychotic, twisted, manipulative bastard," I spit, tearing my gaze from Sasuke to glare at him. He chuckles.

"So you say." I arch my eyebrow at him, but he doesn't reply. He just turns back around. "Meanwhile, Kakashi, I believe you were offering to kill me. Care to try? Or are you all talk?" A blurry flash of his own severed head flashes through Kakashi's mind – Orochimaru's genjutsu again – and Kakashi doesn't move. Orochimaru keeps walking and eventually vanishes into the darkness. Once I don't feel his mind, I turn and snatch Sasuke's shirt off the floor, carrying it over to him and sitting him up as straight as I'm able, tugging it over his head. Kakashi notices and smiles.

"And here I was thinking you two were at each other's throats."

"Oh, we are, trust me," I reply. "But it would attract less attention if he were dressed while we're taking him to the hospital. That is the plan, right?" I ask. He nods and once Sasuke's dressed he picks him up. We start out for the hospital and Kakashi says,

"I'd appreciate it if you stayed with him. Kept an eye on him. Black Ops agents will be stationed outside his room, as well, which will be protection for you, too, but you also have abilities no one else does."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," I mutter darkly. "I'll babysit the ass for you."

About an hour later, I'm sitting in a chair in a circular hospital room, staring at Sasuke's immobile body. Upon arrival, three ANBU Black Op agents met us and showed us to this room.

"_It's the farthest from any other rooms," the leader had explained, gesturing around the room as the doctor hooked Sasuke up to the equipment. "And only one doctor is allowed in and out."_

"_That's good. Tami here," Kakashi said, gesturing to me. "Is not to leave his room, either. I want them together at all times. She's an excellent shinobi and can help you three, if it comes to it. If Sasuke is moved, for whatever reason, Tami goes too."_

"_Kakashi, I think we have everything under control," one of the others said, eyeing me from beneath his mask. "I really don't think we need help from a genin."_

'_I mean, she's tiny. How much damage can one little girl cause?' he thought._

"_Don't let my 'tiny' size fool you," I retorted, giving him a dangerous smirk. "I can throw a pretty decent punch, I've been told." His eyes broadened and I just barely heard him mutter,_

"_Holy shit." The squad leader threw him a look._

"_Language. She's a kid, for Heaven's sake."_

"_Don't even bother," Kakashi sighed. "This girl knows every cuss word in the book, and uses all of them quite frequently."_

"_Aw come on, I refrain from using some," I corrected him with a smile. He sighed again and said,_

"_In any case, it's my desire for both of them to be under some level of protection. Orochimaru has expressed interest in her, as well, and I want to make sure they're safe."_

"_Very well," the leader conceded. Kakashi turned to me and put a hand on my shoulder._

"_Be smart, okay?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and grinned._

"_You act like I have a choice," I replied. He sighed and opened his mouth to rephrase his command, but I covered his hand and said, "I get you, Sensei. I'm not going to do anything stupid. You're leaving me here to guard Sasuke because you trust my abilities, and I don't intend to let that trust go unrewarded. I'll keep him safe, at least until I'm beaten, okay? Now get back to the exams, because Naruto and Sakura are probably having complete fits." He eyed me for a second, then nodded and turned to the ANBU._

"_They're all yours." He then vanished. They stared at me for a moment, then I said,_

"_If you don't mind, I need you three to move your asses out of this room. I'm going to put up a jutsu, but I can't do it if there are other people in here."_

"_Hey, don't act like you can boss us just because your sensei has faith in you," the third one said._

"_Do you want the additional protection or would you prefer to stand there and be a dick about it?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. He opened his mouth to retort, but his squad leader just said,_

"_Give the girl her space," and led them from the room. Once the door was shut, I did a series of handseals and threw up a jutsu that made me invisible to anyone outside of this room – the same one I'd used in the Forest of Death to keep Sakura and Naruto safe when I went to find Sasuke. Once it was in place, I sat down in the chair, like a good little girl, and waited._

It has been the SLOWEST hour of my life. I can't remember the last time I was so damn BOOOORED. I'm starting to wish I was some obsessed fangirl, because if I was, I'd be able to be enthralled watching Sasuke's chest rise and fall with his breathing. However, I'm not, so I'm bored out of my mind. I'm so bored, over the past thirty minutes I've beaten myself (mentally) sixteen times in tic-tac-toe, twice in chess, and even _lost_ once in hangman. I don't even want to know how I did THAT one. I sigh and stand up to stretch again, trying to avoid falling asleep, and a soft groan from across the room attracts my attention.

"…Who's…there…?" I look over at him and sure enough, Sasuke's moving a little. His heartbeat monitor speeds up a tad as his body becomes more active and awake.

"Just me, you ass, now go back to sleep," I reply quietly. If I can, I'd like to avoid the ANBU agents knowing that Sasuke's awake.

"T…Tami? Wh…what're you…doing here?" he breathes, his face tilting in my direction. His eyes are covered in bandages, so it's keeping him from seeing me, and I can feel that he's a little doubtful of my identity.

'_There. Real me. Convinced?'_ I ask.

"Oh…" he says. "But…why are…you here?"

"I'm babysitting you, as ordered by Kakashi-Sensei," I reply, crossing the room to stand closer to him. "He wanted me with you to serve as extra protection, both for you and for me."

"Oh…" he murmurs. "Why…can't I see you? What's this…thing on my face?"

"Bandages. I don't know why they're there, or what purpose they serve, so we're not going to take them off," I reply.

"Okay…" he agrees weakly. I sigh.

"Go back to sleep. You need to recover."

"I don't…want to…just yet," he replies.

"That wasn't a suggestion, damn it," I retort hotly. "Kakashi left you under my care; I'm not going to let you sit there and exhaust yourself, because Kakashi will come back and give me shit for it. Either fall asleep on your own, or I'll make you."

"I said…'just yet'…" he argues. "I'll go back…to sleep…after I ask…you a question…" I groan and cross my arms across my chest, not that he can see it.

"Spit it out." I see him shift a little and, slowly, he slides his arm from underneath the sheets and holds his hand toward me.

"If you won't…let me see you, then…come here. Because I want…to know…you're telling me the truth."

"That's insulting," I spit, glaring at him. "I believe I've told you before, I'm a very honest person."

"You have," he admits. "But there's…a first time…for everything." I scoff, then stalk across the room and grudgingly take his outstretched hand.

'_There. Now what?'_ He pulls weakly on my hand and I let him guide me all the way to his bedside, which satisfies him.

'_Am I getting closer?'_ he asks. My eyebrows furrow in confusion.

'_Closer to what?'_ I ask in return. Surprisingly, his thumb strokes the back of my hand gently and the motion alone makes me blush_. It's just the pain killers…they're making him all kinds of loopy…_

'_Closer to re-earning your trust,'_ he replies. He takes a small, shuddering breath as he fights the urge to pass out again. _'After all, I didn't go through getting the curse mark sealed for __my__ benefit.'_

'_No?' _I ask, arching an eyebrow at him._ 'Because it looked like it was doing a pretty good job at keeping you weak.'_

'_But I was gaining control,' _he retorts_. 'You saw it. It tried to take over during my fight with Yoroi, but I forced it back.'_ I sigh.

'_That's true. But it wouldn't have stayed dormant for long; you know that.'_

'_I do. But if I could force it back in such a weak state, then when I recovered, imagine what I could have learned to do. I could have figured out how to unleash its power at my command, and the strength it could have given me would have helped turn the tables in any fight.'_ I take a deep breath and shut my eyes, trying to keep my own emotions in check as I say,

'_You're saying all this as if it's impossible for you to learn now. Kakashi told you that the seal will hold only for as long as you want it to.'_ He utters a breathy, feeble chuckle and says,

'_But like I said, I didn't get it sealed for my benefit. You hated seeing me that way.'_

'_Since when has what I think meant such a great deal to you?'_ I ask, a little bitter sarcasm lacing my words. _'Aren't we supposed to not like one another?'_

'_Things haven't been like that between us for a while, and you know it,'_ he accuses.

'_Oh, so __you're__ the mind-reader now?'_ I ask, but I know he's right. I'm not saying I particularly…like Sasuke, but I'd never admit it to myself if I did, so… He sighs, but I see the corners of his mouth curl into a soft smile and he replies,

'_You're so eager to pick a fight with me.'_ I throw him an irritated glance, but again, it goes unseen.

'_What do you want me to tell you, Sasuke?'_ His grip on my hand tightens just a little, since he's not capable of much more than that.

'_Tell me you __trust__ me. Because I'm trying, damn it. I agreed with Kakashi sealing the curse mark because I thought it would help you trust me again. That you'd see that…that…'_ He huffs exasperatedly, and that brings about a round of wheezy coughs as his lungs try to recover the lost oxygen. The mask over his nose and mouth fogs up a little and I make a few quick handseals, putting my hand to his cheek and helping calm his body down from its little frenzy. Once his breathing returns to normal, I say,

'_Might I suggest not doing that again?'_

'_Yeah, sounds like a good idea,'_ he agrees, taking a slow, deep breath. His entire chest cavity feels like someone threw a rock in it and shook him, bruising his insides. I chew my cheek for a moment, unsure if I actually want to say this to him, then finally say,

'_I know what you were trying to say to me, Sasuke. I understand what you were trying to prove, and…and you deserve my trust. It's just…hard.'_

'_Why?'_ he asks, feeling a little disappointed.

'_It's hard to overlook not only what you did while under the curse mark's power, but also what Orochimaru expects you to use the mark for. I've seen bits and pieces of his intentions for you, and they…they're not __you__. He's planning on turning you into a completely different person, and I think what scares me the most is that I can actually see his plans coming to fruition. Because I know you. I've seen and felt the emotions and thoughts you've had, and to be honest, what you've been thinking isn't very far from what he's thinking. He's even used the same words to describe you as __you__ have. He knows what kind of person you are, and he knows what buttons to push to manipulate you.'_

'_I'm nobody's pawn,'_ he says coolly, and his sudden anger isn't directed at me; it's directed at Orochimaru._ 'If he thinks he can control me and bend me to his will, he's wrong.'_ I don't respond to that because, deep down, I can feel that his words aren't completely true. His idea of 'choice' is completely influenced by Orochimaru's game plan. Orochimaru has no intentions of "making" Sasuke join him, but he's laid the perfect groundwork for Sasuke to go right to him, on his own "free will". Sasuke notices my sudden silence and says, _'What? Don't believe me?'_ I utter a soft chuckle and say,

'_Nope. But for once, I'm hoping you prove me wrong, Sasuke.'_ Another smile crosses his face, but it fades away soon after as his teeth grind together, a small wave of pain coursing through his system. _'You need to go back to sleep.'_

'_Fine, fine. I told you I would, after all.'_

'_Yep, you sure did. Don't want to end up a liar, would you?'_ I tease. He relaxes into the stiff mattress and soon after, he's out cold once again. I gently ease my hand out of his grip and cross the room back to my chair. Once I'm seated I look back at his sleeping form, my mind reeling. What was _that_ all about? Maybe it's because of his weakened state, and maybe it's because he's drugged out of his mind to keep the pain at bay, but he was…unusually tender with me. _But_, my mind so graciously reminds me, _he wasn't drugged when he chose to get the mark sealed. He did it because he wanted to – because it would make __you__ happy._ I shift a little in my chair, chewing my cheek again. I just can't wrap my mind around it. Why does he care so much? This isn't like Sasuke at all. The Sasuke I'd encountered when we first met as a team was cold and thick-headed; he hadn't cared about working as a single unit, and hadn't shown an ounce of concern for the rest of us. Even at the beginning of the Zabuza mission, he'd been less than friendly…but slowly, throughout our time together, I've seen more and more of the ten-year-old I'd met two years ago. He's more likely to joke with us now, to smile, and to show compassion to us and other people. Yeah, he's still the tunnel-vision avenger now and again, but that ice cold part of him is…melting, it seems. A small, involuntary smile crosses my lips as I stare at his sleeping form. _Maybe Orochimaru's plans aren't as easily said as done, after all._

Sasuke keeps sleeping right through the next half hour, and my own eyes are starting to get heavy. It's very difficult for me to stay awake around a sleeping person, because I can feel how nice and relaxed their body is…My eyes start fluttering shut and I fight to retain consciousness… Then I feel the presence of a new person, right outside the door, and my adrenaline starts flowing, bringing me back to a fully alert state. Is Kakashi back? Wait, no…That's not Kakashi, it's… I spring to my feet just as three sharp bursts of pain go through the bodies of three people outside the door, only for them to swiftly fade out. Holy shit, that was quick… The door swings open and Kabuto enters the room. His eyes lock on Sasuke and he sighs, saying aloud,

"An excess of brilliance can be a disadvantage," speaking as if Sasuke can hear him. I watch him silently from a few feet away, and as sharp as he is, he doesn't even feel my presence. "We stood out too much. I wonder if catching Lord Orochimaru's eye will mean ruin for both of us…" He steps closer to Sasuke and bends over him, getting a better look at his face.

'_He's so young. How could he have a demon dwelling in his heart? It will serve his purpose nicely, when he eventually uses that technique to make this kid into…'_ His thoughts trail off as he continues to watch him. Suddenly, my vision blurs. It feels as if someone's taken my eyes and is spinning them around in my head, making the entire room vanish in a haze of colors. Is this Kabuto's doing? How? My mind is usually very good at preventing the effects of any genjutsu, so I should be able to stop this… I raise my hands and put them in a hand seal. _Kai, release!_ The haze vanishes and as my sight recovers I see that Kabuto hasn't moved from his spot next to Sasuke. But something about him has…changed. I study him carefully, but there's nothing visual to betray anything he did during the thirty or so seconds my vision was gone. Was he simply using a jutsu to check for nearby enemies? To paralyze Sasuke? What was it supposed to do?

"What's worse is that I think he's taken an interest in the redhead, Tami, as well. For him to plan to use you – well, something tells me you'll willingly follow Orochimaru, once he gives you enough temptation. But Tami…no, he'll take her by _force_ if he needs to…" He sighs once more and reaches over to the tray near Sasuke's bed, which contains a series of medical tools. Among them is a scalpel and this Kabuto picks up, twisting it between his fingers as if it's the most natural thing he's ever done. "However, if I just eliminate you…Orochimaru may lose all interest in both Tami and Konoha, and he and I can return to Otogakure in peace…" He holds the scalpel in a tighter grip and slowly starts bringing it to Sasuke's neck. I dart forward and put my hand on his wrist, wrenching his arm away and pinning it behind his back. His eyes widen in surprise and he says aloud, "You're good. I didn't even notice you come in."

"Been here the entire time," I murmur in reply. "Now keep your voice down. People are trying to sleep here." He recognizes my voice and chuckles.

"Keeping an eye on little Sasuke? How sweet."

"Sensei's orders," I reply. Now that we're in contact, I feel the distinctive difference in them and it hits me what had changed. This isn't Kabuto – it's one of the dead ANBU guards. "Alright, nice try. Now which of the bodies on the floor is the real you, Kabuto? I don't have time to play games." He laughs again, and somehow I almost feel true amusement come from the cadaver's body. I've never heard of a jutsu that reawakens the dead, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone working under Orochimaru could do such a thing. Sick, twisted fucks. Don't the words 'rest in peace' mean anything?

"Very impressive! How did you figure it out?"

"The body's cold," I reply. This is true – the blood's already stagnated in this man's body and his skin is several degrees below a normal temperature, but, of course, this isn't what had given it away. It had been his lack of real thoughts; due to Kabuto's control, there are "thoughts", but they're being planted in this body's head rather than thinking them on his own. It's thinking like Kabuto, not an ANBU Black Op.

"I see. You're very perceptive." His free hand then whips around and he drives his fist into my side. This punch is much more painful than the little punches I'd batted away during our previous "fight", and I gasp in pain. My body cringes in reflex, but my hold on his wrist remains tight.

"Nice try, asshole, but I've had worse," I snarl. "By the way, that reminds me – how's your jaw?"

"All better, but you did a very good job dislocating it," he replies, his voice irritatingly cocky. He reaches behind himself to throw another hit at me, but I step back just far enough for it to go past me. This allows him to use his feet a little better and he swings his right leg out, hooking me behind my knee and pulling so I start sinking to the ground. I finally relinquish my hold on his wrist, but in the last second I jab a pressure point in his wrist which involuntarily causes his fingers to open and the scalpel falls to the floor. He swings his foot up again and I slide back in the nick of time, just barely avoiding a brutal blow to the chin. I get to my feet and smirk when he turns around, just to be met with nothing but a wall. "Where are you?" I push my chakra to my feet and spring off the floor, hitting the wall to my right before pushing myself off that, as well. I rotate my body and deliver a rather cruel blow to the side of his head, knocking him off his feet and sending him skidding across the floor. He gets back on his feet and looks around, still trying to get a visual on me. "How are you doing this?" I smirk and reply,

"There's a reason Orochimaru's after me. Not only do I have gifts no one else knows about, but I know how to use them. And I'm a magician that never reveals my secrets." My eyes dart down to Sasuke; he's still blissfully asleep, thank goodness.

"I see…" Kabuto muses, his eyes still sliding back and forth. "Typically, I'm very good at breaking genjutsu, but whatever you have up that's keeping me from seeing you is exceptionally strong. You're more talented than I gave you credit for."

"Thanks," I reply, my tone a bit colder. I don't need his seal of approval. He edges over to Sasuke's side once more, still looking around for me. "You know well and good that I won't let you touch Sasuke." He chuckles and says,

"You really care a lot for him, don't you?"

"Kakashi left me in charge of his well-being," I reply, avoiding the accusation.

"That's not what I asked," he taunts, his lips curling in a smirk that makes my blood boil. "I see how you two are when you're together. You're the only people on your squad that really…act as one. There's a connection between you two…and you might want to take care not to make it so obvious."

"Not that it's any of your concern, but Sasuke and I are more like equals than we are with the other two. Naruto has unimaginable potential, but he lacks the focus and discipline to make it work in his advantage. Sakura just sucks. We also have…history." His eyebrows arch and he asks,

"Oh you do, do you?" I roll my eyes.

"It's none of your concern," I say.

"I only ask because of something Orochimaru said to me just a short while ago," he says.

"Wh-what did he say?" I ask, frowning.

"I've given Orochimaru the info card I made on Sasuke, containing his strengths and weaknesses, whatnot – just like the other cards I have. However, I left a few things out and…bluffed a little. I put on there that it seems like Sasuke's attitudes and priorities are shifting, and I labeled the cause as Naruto's friendship, but I'm thinking it's something else. Yes, Naruto has some sway; that much is obvious. But really, I think that the biggest factor is his greatest weakness. His Achilles heel, if I may." I swallow, trying to ignore how fast my heart is beating. He studied us, broke us down to our littlest quirks, and gave Sasuke's information to that snake bastard. That alone has probably doubled Orochimaru's ability to succeed in luring Sasuke in, just because he knows not only how Sasuke thinks, but how he feels.

"And what have you deduced to be Sasuke's greatest weakness? His determination to kill his brother? His 'shifting attitude', as you put it?" Kabuto chuckles and says,

"No, you sweet thing. It's YOU." I'm so dumbstruck that for a moment I can't speak. ME? He thinks I'M Sasuke's greatest weakness?

"You're crazy," I say, denying it completely. "There's no way I'm Sasuke's greatest weakness. There's so much more that can hurt him than me." He chuckles again and says,

"Of course there is. But nothing would hurt or upset him more than if, say, we kidnapped you. Or tortured you. There are a million things Orochimaru and I could do to you, and I'm certain that the idea of you in danger terrifies him." Kabuto turns to stare down at Sasuke and he pulls something from his pocket. It's another scalpel. He just carries one with him? That's a bit…odd. His back is to me and I get ready to lunge at him, but I feel Kakashi's presence right by the door.

'_Sensei?'_

'_Where are you?' _

'_Against the wall right behind him. I can take him, unless you want to take over.'_

'_This boy's a lot more skilled than I previously thought. I don't want you getting close enough for him to touch you again, so just leave him to me.'_

'_Yes Sir.'_ Kakashi steps forward, and instantly Kabuto senses him. He'd been bringing the scalpel closer and closer to Sasuke's neck, just like before, but instead he flicks his wrist and sends it toward Kakashi. He snatches it out of midair, staring him down. Kabuto smirks and says,

"Only you, Kakashi, would think to stop my attack from my blind spot."

"You…you're no ordinary genin, are you?" Kakashi asks. "You made your attack immediately upon noticing my presence…you're pretty impressive. If Tami wasn't the shinobi she is, you probably would have beaten her."

"No, I'm not so great…" he says, and the emotions that rage within him are complex, to say the least. "And really, even if I'd been able to find Tami, I probably wouldn't have harmed her. She's too special."

'_Seems you have a fan,'_ Kakashi says.

'_Ick,'_ I reply coolly.

"What do you want with Sasuke? Depending on the circumstances, I'll have to arrest and interrogate you," Kakashi threatens, but I have my doubts. Kabuto won't willingly be taken in, and he's obviously more advanced than just a lowly genin… In fact, he looks at Kakashi over his shoulder and, with a slightly crazed look in his eyes, asks,

"I wonder if you can…? Someone like you…"

"You want to test "someone like me"?" Kakashi asks. He stares Kabuto down for a moment, then asks, "What are you? You're the son of a Konoha ninja doctor, right? A perpetual failure of a ninja…Your name is Kabuto, yes?" Kabuto doesn't answer his questions; instead, he smirks and says,

"Next time you should probably ready at least ten guards." Ten ANBU agents? Against one him? Just how much has he been holding back?

"Just shut up and answer my questions," Kakashi snaps, a little heatedly.

"And if I refuse?" Kabuto asks in return.

"I'm the one asking the questions here. Show some respect," Kakashi says but, of course, Kabuto has no interest in doing so. "Are you…in league with Orochimaru?" Kabuto smiles and says,

"If you arrest me here, right now, you might never be able to prove my connection to Orochimaru. No matter what kind of torture or genjutsu you inflict upon me, I won't spill a single secret. And besides, I don't really like confrontations. It'll all come out eventually, so why don't you just let it go for now?" Kakashi shuts his eyes and calmly says,

"You…you're just a selfish, little brat, aren't you?" But Kabuto's far more than that. He's more dangerous and better trained than he lets on. Kakashi draws a kunai knife and points it at Kabuto, readying himself to strike. "You shouldn't mock your superiors." A flick of his wrist, and Kabuto's also armed with a small, hooked knife.

"You won't just release me, then?"

"You know the laws of this village…how spies are dealt with. And even if you're impervious to torture and genjutsu, we have something that would work without fail to get the truth out of you." Kabuto smirks.

"Oh? And just what is that?" Kakashi's eyes narrow, but his lips curve into a smile.

"We have Tami."

"Oh please. I may be fond of her, but you couldn't possibly use _her_ against me."

"Oh no, we wouldn't have to. She has capabilities that would allow her to get everything from you that we need. You wouldn't have to _say_ a single word." Kabuto's eyebrows shoot up in interest, but he doesn't press the subject. "Now, I suggest you surrender."

"You're acting awfully smug, considering that the circumstances are in my favor." He lowers his blade so it's right over Sasuke's throat.

"Wrong again. You're forgetting – Tami's still in this room. Where she is, even I don't know. She could strike from anywhere, with just one word from me." Very true. In fact, I can barely wait for Kakashi's command, because the way he's dangling that knife over Sasuke so carelessly is making me nervous…

'_Kakashi, the Kabuto in front of you isn't real. It's just a cadaver. I can't tell which of the bodies is his real one, though, because he's frozen all functions in a death-like trance.'_

'_Understood.'_ Kabuto stands there a moment, then starts to bring his hand down. My breath catches in my throat, but Kakashi darts forward and brings his leg around, drilling it into Kabuto's side and knocking him away, leaving Sasuke unharmed. Kabuto falls to the floor, and in that same instant one of the "dead" ANBU agents gets to his feet. He darts for the door, but Kakashi had placed a doppelganger to stop such an escape, and he skids to a halt. He looks back and forth between the two Kakashis, then draws a handful of kunai and tosses them at the window. I drop the jutsu and spring for him as he races for the window.

"Oh, no you don't-!" He jumps out, falling towards the ground. I put my hand on the window frame, ready to go after him, but Kakashi stops me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. Like I said, he's more skilled than we thought before." I hesitate, then nod.

"Something tells me it won't be the last time we see him, anyway," I say, staring out across the city below. Kakashi tilts his head to the side.

"What makes you say that?"

"He said 'it'll all come out eventually'. I'm getting the feeling that Orochimaru hasn't finished up what he needs to here. I don't know if Sasuke's part of it, or if he has another reason for sticking around, but either way, they'll be here." Kakashi's eyebrows knit together, his mind working to figure out what they may be after. I sigh, leaning against the window sill. "So what do we do?"

"I'm not sure. This all seems to be revolving around the Chunin exams, so I'm thinking we've seen the last of them for at least a month. That's when the final rounds are to be held."

"Do you know who Sasuke and I face?" I ask, but he shakes his head.

"I didn't stay long enough to find out. I was far more concerned for you and Sasuke." I nod. My mind goes back to what Kabuto told me – what he thinks is Sasuke's biggest weakness.

"Sensei," I say, not looking at him.

"Hm?" he replies, letting me know he's listening.

"Do you…What do you think…Sasuke's biggest weakness is?" This question seems to take him by surprise and he says,

"What do you mean?" I bite my lip for a moment, then look up at him.

"Kabuto has info cards on all the shinobi at the Chunin exams, and who knows how many more. While in the Forest of Death, he helped us find an Earth scroll and led us to the tower. During that time, he collected intelligence on us – personal intelligence. He studied our behaviors, our personalities, everything. He broke us down, then put them on the cards and handed Sasuke's to Orochimaru. But he says he lied about what he said Sasuke's biggest weakness was. On the card, he said Naruto – he said that Naruto was making him change his priorities and become a little more attached to the people here. But…Kabuto really thinks it's…someone else."

"Ah, let me guess – he thinks it's you." I hesitate, then nod. "To be honest…I think he's right. I can see Orochimaru believing it's Naruto, but having seen you and Sasuke together, I definitely think you have more leverage over him than Naruto does." I fall silent. So it's not just Kabuto being crazy; even Kakashi thinks so. "Does that bother you?"

"…I don't know. I can't…see it. Half the time, Sasuke and I just give each other shit, and the other half we're working on a mission." He chuckles and says,

"That's not true. I don't know how you can't see it. You think I don't notice certain things, but I do. Either that, or you brush off things that I know make a difference. When we were on our mission to the Land of Waves, you two were nearly inseparable. I can't say I didn't expect it; you two are more alike than you are unalike. And the longer you two spend together, the more I can see it. Yes, you two fight – quite violently – but you still work together ten times better than you do with your other teammates. I think Sakura notices it, too, because when I went back to the exams, she seemed very…distraught with my choice to leave you with Sasuke. I don't know what gets under her skin more – having to see how well you and Sasuke fit, or having to come to terms with the fact that she's fighting a lost battle." If we were having a different conversation, the idea of Sakura's jealousy would bring a smirk to my face, but…

I inwardly sigh. I've seen it; I just haven't admitted it to myself. I've noticed every gesture he's made, every concern he's had, every thought that's crossed his mind. Kakashi's only seen the things that are obvious; when I taught Sasuke how to climb trees, the joking back-and-forth between us, the subtle things we do for one another when we know Sakura and Naruto won't notice. But he doesn't know what's been said between us when no one's around. Like earlier, for instance. Or when he came to my house and asked me to tell him what happened to me the night his family died. He also doesn't know what's been said telepathically, right in front of them. My eyes dart to Sasuke's sleeping form, and I feel anxiety bubble up in my stomach. It would be weird to ask him if he agreed with Kabuto and Kakashi, and he may also deny it (though I'd feel it if he were lying to me), but…I feel like I have to know what he thinks about all this. Does he realize how close we are? And, what's more, how many people know it?

"You alright?" Kakashi asks with a smile. I nod and say,

"So what now? What do we do for the next month?"

"You're given this time to train for the finals. I'm going to take Sasuke, once he's well, out of town and train him. He needs to increase his speed and learn new tricks for whoever he faces – the boy with the furry cape from Otogakure and all three genin from Sunagakure made it, as well as Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino, Naruto, and Hyuuga Neji." I nod.

"Not Sakura?"

"No. She faced Ino and it ended in a draw. I'm quite pleased with her performance, though. She tried very hard."

"But she's still using nothing but the basics. Everyone has developed skills in a certain area of expertise, whether it's genetic or not. Naruto has shadow clones, Shikamaru has shadow possession, Ino has her projection jutsu, Choji has physical expansion, Lee is the most skilled genin in the village at taijutsu, and so on. Everyone has a strength, but Sakura's only strong point is chakra control. She needs to pick up some specialty jutsus or _something_," I comment, frowning. "To be honest, I'd really like to see her get better, because her talents – rather, lack thereof, are embarrassing to the rest of us. True, she hasn't had special attention, like some people have, but even Naruto picked up something by himself. He learned his signature move on his own."

"I know. And I'd like to help her, or have someone train her, but there's a lack of good kunoichi in the village that I can ask."

"Why not a male teacher? All my teachers have been men, and look how I turned out," I say. "Men push harder, and take less shit than women do."

"Yes, but Sakura's also very different from you," Kakashi says. "She's…delicate."

"That's for sure," I mutter. "It's why she sucks so much - because no one ever hardened her. Don't they teach stupid shit like flower arranging in the girls-only classes at the academy?"

"For the purpose of blending in," Kakashi says.

"It's a complete waste of time," I say. "If they focused on getting the girls stronger, it'd be more efficient than wasting an entire afternoon picking daisies." Kakashi sighs, but smiles at my tomboyish viewpoint. "So…where are you and Sasuke going?"

"A place in the middle of nowhere. I want him without distraction, and without anyone around to potentially get hurt. I'm worried that I'll push him too hard and he'll lose control. I don't want to consider it, but if the seal comes undone…"

"Well, Sasuke fought it back before," I say. "He could probably do it again, if he wanted to." Kakashi arches an eyebrow at me.

"Didn't you doubt his ability to control it just a few hours ago?"

"That was before he fought it back during his fight with Yoroi, and before you sealed it. I still have my worries that he'll willingly use the power, but…I don't know."

"Have you talked to him while you've been in here?" Kakashi asks. "Did he wake at all?"

"For a few minutes, but I made him fall back asleep. I knew you wouldn't like it if he was staying awake and exhausting himself."

"Very true. But did you have a talk and get that whole argument sorted out?"

"For the meantime, I suppose. You're taking him for a month, anyway, so I won't have time to beat his ass."

"You can come with us," he offers, but I shake my head.

"I already have someone else in mind. Besides, you said you want Sasuke free of distractions. I'm sure his 'greatest weakness' would be a definite distraction," I say, rolling my eyes at the way I said it. Just the thought of ME being Sasuke's "greatest weakness" is…weird. The way they say it makes it sound like he…um… I can't even force myself to _think_ that stupid four-letter l-word. Kakashi chuckles.

"Very well. But stay safe, alright?"

"Of course," I reply. "You act like you expect me to hunt down Orochimaru while you're gone or something." He shrugs and I say, "Sensei, I'm not stupid, alright? You should really stop doubting my intelligence. That makes twice today." He laughs.

"Sorry. I'll try not to be so doubtful." He places his hand on my shoulder and I look up at him. His face is completely sincere as he says, "I'm truly very proud of you, Tami. You've grown up a lot over just these two months, and I'm very impressed with your progress. I trust you more than I do any of your teammates, and I know I can count on you." Wow. That really…That's the most positive, supportive thing anyone's ever said to me. And it wasn't even a 'I'm proud of you' to the group – it was to just me. He sees on my face how touched I am, and I barely manage to say,

"…Thanks, Sensei." He smiles at me again, then says,

"You look exhausted. Do you want me to get you a room next to this one, or would you prefer to go home?"

"I'd rather go home. I don't like hospitals, and I don't need a doctor checking in on me or anything. I'll see you in a month, Sensei." He nods and I leave the room. I get home completely unharmed, but I don't go directly to my section of the compound. Instead, I head for the largest section – my grandfather's. Head of the family, his living quarters are the farthest from everyone else's to prevent disturbances. When I reach it, two of my second cousins are standing guard outside of his private training room.

"What do you want?" one of them asks, eyeing me distrustfully. My entire family knows what I've done, and some of them accept it; others don't. This is one who hasn't yet. Maybe he's also jealous because he's nearly eight years my elder and still only a Stage One.

"I need to ask Grandfather a question," I reply simply. "Is he free?"

"Let her in," I hear from within. Both of them step to the side and I walk past, slipping inside. He's sitting in the center of the room, a stick of incense burning in front of him. "Can I help you, Tami-chan?" I nod, sinking respectfully to my knees in front of him. His pale blue eyes stare at me, watching my every move.

"I defeated my opponent in a preliminary round and am progressing to the final rounds in the Chunin exam," I reply. "I have one month to prepare any new techniques that I wish to have at my disposal for the finals. I'm here to ask if you'll train me during that time." One of his faded, thin eyebrows arches in slight surprise and he says,

"You actually want to be forced to be around another Sohma for an entire month?"

"I have nothing against our family, other than the fact that everyone hates me," I say, completely straight-faced. I feel a soft pang of grief and sympathy from him and he says,

"Yes, I suppose that makes you feel less-than welcome." He takes a deep breath, considering my request carefully. Hoping to provoke his more prideful side, I say,

"I know of no one in the village more fitting to train me than you, Sir."

"Naturally," he says. "Though I can tell that you've made a great deal of progress on your own. Up to precognition, are we?" I feel a surge of jealous awe from my cousins outside the door and reply,

"Yes Sir. Only once."

"But it was something," he says, more of a musing to himself than a comment to me. There's silence for a long moment, then he says, "Very well. We start early tomorrow morning. Be here no later than 6:45, and ready your mind. It's been a while since you've been put through blocking exercises, and that is what we'll begin with." I nod, bow politely, then stand and leave the room.

A few days pass and the only person I see is my grandfather. In the few minutes I spend eating, my mind always goes to Naruto and, especially, to Sasuke and Kakashi. I wonder if they've left yet, and if Kakashi's going to use the same methods as Gai to train Sasuke. After my third day, I retire to my room after evening training. My brain feels like mush, I can barely think straight, and my muscles ache, but it feels great. I love being given such rigorous workouts now. As a child, I hated it, mainly because I always saw it as my father's personal time to beat the shit out of me, but now I love it. Maybe it's because my grandfather doesn't judge me like everyone else does. He sees me as a hard-working thirteen-year-old shinobi in need of training, not his emotionally distraught, traumatized, patricidal granddaughter. Not once have I seen contempt or loathing in his eyes while he's given me instruction; he's been stern, but very fair.

This is the kind of training that, had I received it from Day 1, could have made everything turn out differently. I wouldn't have minded training so much if I'd been given reasonable treatment, but my father had really just turned my hours of training into an excuse to abuse me. Something tells me my grandfather knows it, too, because on the first day I had been a little sloppy with my blocking exercises and instead of being harshly critical like my father would have been, he'd merely said, "It's been awhile. I'm going to force you to get better at it before we move on, though, because without it you can't hope to continue," and we had worked on it. By the end of the fourth hour, I was able to withstand just about anything he threw at me, a feat I never thought I would reach by age thirteen. He had taken it at a much easier pace and with far more understanding than my father had. If he sensed that I was getting frustrated, he would force me to stop and calm myself down, then to restart the exercise, as well, which helped immensely. He wanted to prevent, as he called it, "negative overload". He's the only other Sohma I know that works best when calm.

I fall forward onto my sheets, burying my face in my pillow. Sleep sounds nice right now, but I know I should eat something…My attention is suddenly pulled to the sound of knocks on my front door. I pull my face from the pillow and look at the clock on my bedside table. It's nearly eleven at night now. Training had technically ended four hours ago, but he had encouraged me to keep practicing my taijutsu forms, so I had. Who in the world would be here now? Kakashi? I get up and make my way to the front of the house, and upon opening the door I'm startled to find Sasuke there, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Evening," he says calmly, flashing me a smirk.

"Are you supposed to be out of the hospital?" I ask, returning the smirk and stepping back to let him in. He walks past me and once the door is closed he replies,

"No, but I'll be gone before they even notice, anyway."

"Tsk tsk, Sasuke," I chastise playfully. "You should know better than to run away from the hospital." He shrugs, still smirking, and decides to change the subject.

"Why are you up so late?"

"Training," I reply. "You have your teacher, I have mine."

"Who?" he asks, sounding interested.

"My grandfather." His eyebrows shoot up in surprise and he says,

"I thought your family doesn't like you." I snort.

"Thanks for reminding me, ass. But my grandfather is actually one of the very few members of my family that don't hate me. In fact, I've found that we have quite a bit in common."

"Really? Is he as sarcastic and violent as you are?" he asks, teasing me. I glare at him, but the corners of my lips still curve into a smile.

"Nice to know being unconscious for three days didn't make you less of an ass. Your behavior at the hospital was starting to scare me." He follows me into the living room and we take seats near one another.

"Kakashi told me Kabuto tried to kill me in my sleep," he says conversationally.

"Yeah, he sure did, but, of course, I saved your ass," I say, grinning at him. "Because I'm such an absolute _darling_." He snorts and I swing my leg toward him, kicking him hard in the shin. He winces and says,

"That's not helping you prove your point, you know." I snicker, then hesitate before asking,

"So did Kakashi tell you…anything else?" He arches an eyebrow at me and says,

"Like?" I shrug.

"Just wondered if he mentioned anything to you." He leans toward me a little and says,

"Come on. You wouldn't bring it up unless it was already on your mind, and therefore something that worried you."

"Oh no, nothing like that. I mean, we discussed Orochimaru's plans and Kabuto's actual strength – he killed the three ANBU agents guarding us – but, um…" I bite down on my bottom lip for a moment, then say, "It's really nothing important. It's just something Kabuto said that sort of…bothered me."

"Bothered how?" Sasuke asks. I can feel his dislike for Kabuto scratching at the back of his mind and I debate whether or not to tell him.

"Well, not…bothered, but…it's been on my mind." He huffs.

"With how much you're skirting just telling me right out what he said makes me think it was something serious. Or embarrassing. Just tell me, would you?" I can feel my cheeks color a little, regretting having brought it up to begin with, then sigh.

"Fine. When we teamed up with Kabuto, he used that time to study our personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Everything he gathered, he put on those damn info cards he had and he gave yours to Orochimaru for his own personal use."

"So?" Sasuke asks, not concerned in the least.

"Under your weaknesses, he noted that you're not as…cold as you used to be. That you're more team-oriented and such, and you are. Well, Kabuto attributed it to Naruto's doing – on the _card_. He said that Naruto's friendship with you is causing you to develop stronger bonds to Konoha, and thus making you less likely to drop everything and leave."

"Alright," Sasuke says, waiting a little more patiently now for my big reveal.

"Well, he…he seems to think…there's a different reason for it. A reason that he didn't put on the card. He's even deemed it your greatest weakness."

"My greatest weakness? That's bold of him, to think he can deduce my weaknesses from spending a few hours with us," he says, sounding cocky. I sigh.

"But that's what has me worried. I…I don't know what you consider to be your greatest weakness, but Kabuto has something in mind, and what's worse is that Kakashi agrees with him. If what you think matches with what Kakashi and Kabuto think, then I'm worried that it won't be hard for others to pick up on it, as well, and use it against you."

"What did he say it is?" he asks. I hesitate, then murmur,

"Me." There's a silence between us for a minute; he doesn't know what to say. I finally force a laugh and say, "But he's crazy, right? I mean, there are plenty of other things that affect you more than I do, so to label just me as your greatest weakness is stupid."

"Y…yeah…stupid…" he mutters, not meeting my gaze. He's not even really listening to me anymore; his mind is tossing over what I'd just said. My face falls and I say,

"S…Sasuke?"

"Yeah?" he replies, looking up at me again.

"Are…you okay?" He nods, but it's still tugging at him. "I mean…what do you think is your greatest weakness?" He doesn't answer immediately.

"I've never…thought about it. I always liked to think that I didn't have a weakness, or at least one that I couldn't fix with training. But…now, I'm not so sure, because…I've never thought of people as a weakness."

"But even if you consider people weaknesses now, I'm not the only person in your life," I say. "There's Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi-Sensei. You even seemed to form an unspoken respect for Lee after he kicked your ass. So…" My voice trails off as I feel his mind still working the matter over. "Know what? Just forget I said anything. I mean, it's nothing important."

"Yes it is," he argues, his onyx eyes snapping back up to me. "If I have a weakness that I didn't think about before, if I don't realize what it is, it could be attacked or taken from me and I wouldn't be able to stop it from happening." Like what Kabuto said about kidnapping and torturing me. "You and Naruto seem to have your weaknesses figured out just fine, and that…that makes me think that I should start…acting more like you two." I smirk at him, giving him an incredulous look.

"Wow, you're actually saying you should act like us? That's surprising."

"You two are aware of what needs to be protected," he says, his voice quieter now. His eyes have distinctly changed, the sarcastically playful gleam from his arrival gone now.

"Look, I didn't mean to get you all spun up about it," I say quickly. "There's no need to flip out. Naruto and I can take care of ourselves anyway, so if we're who you're concerned about, don't be." He snorts.

"So you can go absolutely insane and bitchy on me when Orochimaru even _thinks_ about luring me to his side, but when he poses a very clear threat to you, I'm just supposed to sit back and ignore it?" I chuckle and reply,

"Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Any questions?" He rolls his eyes and as they revolve, they lock on the clock on the wall.

"Ah, I'd better get moving. Kakashi's expecting me to be there as soon as I'm well, and if I can break out of the hospital, I'm fine enough to head out."

"Ha! You're acting like breaking out of the hospital's hard. You were weak, yes, but it was due to exhaustion. It's not like you were suffering from extensive muscular or neural damage or anything." He stands, as do I, and I see him out. "So, did you just decide to drop by and see me before you headed off, or did you have something else you wanted to say?" I ask as he pulls his shoes on.

"…There is one more thing," he says, rising to my height. I notice that he's grown just a little over the past two months; his eyes are farther up than they used to be, and I have to actually look up to make eye contact. His face is a visage of perfectly composed solemnity now, and I can feel how deep his concern runs when he says, "I want you to be extremely cautious over the next month. Without me and Kakashi here, and Naruto _who knows_ where, for the most part you'll be on your own. I know Orochimaru and Kabuto have taken their separate interests in you, and without someone else around you, they may want to use this time period to their advantage." I sigh, giving him a stern look of my own.

"You're acting like Kakashi; you're treating me like I'm stupid. I'm NOT. I'm not going to put myself in a situation that makes me vulnerable to them. I'll be spending at least ninety-five percent of my time here, training, if all goes well, and if it'll ease your concern, I won't go out into town without someone else with me. If Kabuto's as good at gaining intelligence as he appears, then he'll know by now that trying to launch a kidnapping attempt on a Sohma is an extremely bad idea. Whether they like me personally or not, I'm always being watched. The entire compound is guarded at all times; the older Sohmas, like my second cousins, for instance, take shifts protecting us."

"Really?" he asks, looking pleasantly surprised. I nod.

"How do you think we've kept the secret of our powers quiet for so long? We're _extremely_ careful. If an enemy nation got their hands on our blood, who knows what they could do?" I smirk. "In fact, if you took a look in the books containing deaths of villagers, you'd find that there are at least twelve deaths over the past twenty years that have taken place on Sohma property. Let's just say we don't take trespassing lightly."

"So how is it I'm here?" he asks.

"You're not trespassing," I reply, a small smile crossing my face. "By now, they know you. Our families had an allegiance for years, as well, and I'm sure there are still remnants of such respect for you still alive within the older members of the family. Everyone knows who you are, and that we're teammates. Don't worry; the fact that you've managed to visit me isn't a sign of a slip in guard. It's a symbol of trust. If they thought you wanted to kill me, you'd be dead by now." He chuckles and says,

"Well, I guess you're more protected than I thought. Guess I have to give you Sohmas _some_ credit." I give him a glare and he just laughs again. "Well, now that I know I can stop worrying, I should get going." He steps off the porch and starts to walk off, but I say,

"Sasuke." He stops and turns back to me, staring at me with curiosity in his eyes. "Be careful, okay? You and Kakashi are so concerned about my well-being, and I haven't had the chance to tell you two to watch _your_ backs. You are, after all, the one Orochimaru wants most, and I doubt Kakashi will be enough to stop him if he really wants to get his hands on you. So tell Kakashi I said to be careful, too, alright, since I won't see him? I know you'll be together, but…still. If you two are allowed to worry, then so am I." He nods, obeying my orders for once, then he says,

"See you in a month, Tami."

"Yeah," I reply, the most I'm able to say at the moment. He walks off and I can feel him looking around, trying to locate the Sohmas hidden amongst the trees, but he wouldn't be able to find them in broad daylight, let alone at night. He eventually vanishes into the darkness and I turn to go back in the house.

'_Well that was cute,'_ someone thinks nearby. I snort.

'_Eh, on any other day I'd have beaten the shit out of him, because he put me through hell during the second exam, but I figure my sensei wouldn't like that too much.'_

'_How thoughtful,'_ he says sarcastically._ 'Are you sure that's your only reason for being all buddy-buddy with him? After all, this isn't the first time he's come and visited you at night.'_

'_Don't let your imagination get the better of you,'_ I reply._ 'We're teammates; that's it.'_ With that, I go back into the house, locking the door behind me.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I'm in front of my grandfather's private training room by 6:40 the next morning, stretching and preparing myself for my next training session. He arrives a few minutes later and looks me over. I bow respectfully and say,

"Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning. Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes Sir," I answer, rising to my full height.

"Good." He steps off the patio and crosses the yard to me, his body absolutely calm. He reaches me and his blue eyes study me thoroughly, and I simply meet his stare, unsure of what he's thinking. "You are, indeed, a prodigy. And as such…I believe that you are ready to take on a jutsu that only a select few Sohmas are ever given permission to learn." My eyes widen a bit. A jutsu only a few people ever get to learn? This sounds promising. "It's not going to be easy. To this day, only two people have ever fully mastered it."

"Who, Sir?" I ask, my voice displaying my eager anticipation.

"Myself and my grandfather. He was the one who developed it." So it's been around for six generations, and only two people have mastered it. It must be exceptionally difficult, seeing as most Sohmas are actually pretty gifted in their own rights. Some more than others, true, but our kekkei-genkai isn't one that can be controlled through mere practice, like most others.

"What does it do, Sir?" I ask, the question barely above a whisper. Surprisingly, his lips curve into a small smirk and his blue eyes seem to get a little brighter.

One Month Later

I wake at an hour after sunrise, around seven thirty, and slide out of bed, getting to my feet and stretching. The stiff, sleep-heavy joints in my knees and back pop pleasantly and I slowly move my body in various yoga positions to bring myself to full consciousness. This takes me about half an hour, and once I'm fully awake, I stride over to my dresser and gather my clothes off it. I leave my room and walk to the bathroom, focusing my mind solely on the matches later today. I still don't know who I'm facing; I never took the time to venture into town to ask Naruto or one of the other combatants. Instead, I prepared myself for anyone. I know that Shikamaru is a brilliant strategist and his strongest point seems to be his Shadow Possession jutsu; Hyuuga Neji, from the brief moment I spoke to him, seems to be cool, calculating, though a bit arrogant, and if he won his match, he must be good at using his kekkei-genkai; those three Sand genin seem highly skilled and deadly, especially the boy with red hair, whose odd psyche still gives me chills; and I've seen Dosu in action, and I know his powers are fearsome. A small smile comes to my face as I toy with the idea of being paired against Naruto or Sasuke. That would be quite…humorous. I'd like to see how well we do against one another, no holds barred. With my training…I'm not sure they'd be able to match me. Not to say I doubt their abilities, buuut…

I draw myself a hot bath and slip in, leaning back until the water caresses the top of my neck. Counting backwards from twenty, I shut my eyes and relax the muscles in my body, starting from the tips of my fingers and toes. The hot water helps melt some of my usual tension away, too. I take a deep breath and sink beneath the surface. At first the hot water burns, but my body acclimatizes to the heat and I can relax again. I start going over scenarios in my mind, playing through the many ways my fights could pan out. Depending on who I fought, I would have to alter my initial course of action – I'm sure there are a few who prefer long-distance fighting and have defenses against short-range attacks. However, I'm going to need contact eventually, and I'm just going to have to devise a way to get it… I smirk again as the notion of facing Sasuke comes back to mind. I've had such a great deal of contact with him that I may not even need touch if we fight…

I climb out nearly thirty minutes later and dress. As I lean against the sink, I stare at my reflection in my bathroom mirror and notice a change has come about me during my month of training. My eyes are different…stronger somehow. It almost seems as if the blue flecks in them have grown and become sharper, more noticeable. My posture's improved, as well, not that it wasn't good to begin with. The martial arts forms my grandfather taught me over the month have brought this about.

"_A good posture," he'd said, "Aligns your body in a way that allows your chakra to flow more freely. Having good posture also makes you feel more confident, and sturdy – simple psychological tricks that will increase your control, without you even knowing it."_ And he'd been right. Within days of watching my posture, I felt calmer, and more powerful. But my eyes and posture aren't the only things that have changed. My hair is now at least two inches below my shoulders from not being cut in a while. I'm tempted to take scissors to it, but I don't have the concentration to do the job properly at the moment. _Later_, I decide. One of my long bangs slowly slides over my face, hanging down next to my nose and making me look a little disheveled. I brush it out of the way, then turn off the light and leave the steamy room. Upon entering my living room, I find that daylight is shining beautifully through the trees and filtering into the room, and there are small spots of light on the wooden floors that have a warm, golden glow. I smile slightly and walk to the kitchen to make myself breakfast. My usual morning routine only takes a quarter of my mental capacity; I've been doing this for thirteen years, after all. The rest of my thinking is taken up by plotting more strategies and thinking out attack plans, feigns, and when to use my ace, if it even comes to that.

"_You are, indeed, a prodigy. And as such…I believe that you are ready to take on a jutsu that only a select few Sohmas are ever given permission to learn."_ My grandfather's voice rings through my head. We'd worked on the technique for the remainder of our training time, along with other things such as my forms and the range of my telepathic sight. I remember that last bit with a proud smile. My grandfather emphasized the ability to concentrate in our training and it's helped me learn how to be more specific in my abilities. It's also given me the power to look deeper into a person's mind with less contact time, and I can keep a hold on a person's mental signature for a longer time now. I sigh, sinking back in my seat and staring up at the ceiling. _Man…from the absolute beating I've taken this month, I should be exhausted still. Thank goodness I'm not, though, because that would suck a lot of ass…I can't go into this with any lack of strength or focus_. I take my breakfast dishes to the sink and wash them, put them up, and look over at the clock. I still have a few hours before I'm due...

My mind wanders back to my 'ace', as I referred to it. I've only managed to complete half the requirements for mastery of the technique, but my grandfather had actually given me praise the last time we'd trained, which was three days ago.

"_I'm impressed with how much you've accomplished, Tami," he said, eyeing my unconscious cousin. My breath was coming in gasps, my hands on my knees, and sweat was running down my neck, back, and stomach in sheets. My hands twitched painfully as my keirakukei gave a vicious throb. "It's taken other Sohmas much longer to come this far; years, usually. It took your father two and a half to reach this point, and at the time he was at Stage Four." A small, satisfied smirk wins its way onto my face. Take that, you abusive bastard. "But I can see that it's taken a lot out of you. You will spend the last two days resting your body."_

"_B-but Sir – " I begin to protest, but he fixates me with a stern look._

"_You will not argue." I shut my mouth immediately and bow._

"_Yes Sir." He nodded, then his eyes went back to my cousin. He was flat on his back, the only motion being the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed._

"_Very impressive indeed…" This he muttered, mainly to himself, and, afraid of the repercussions if he felt me try to break into his mind, I asked,_

"_Besides the speed at which I'm progressing, Sir, is there anything else that's caught your interest so keenly?" He looked at me, his blue eyes studying me carefully._

"_Your age." He paused for a moment, then continued. "You're a mere thirteen years old now. Already you've reached Stage Three, and you're capable than most of the members of our family. For you to have come so far within only a month of one-on-one training is…incredible. And completely unforeseen."_

"_Unforeseen?" I repeated._

"_Yes. At the time of your birth, your great grandfather – my father – had a glimpse into the future and saw that you would, in fact, surpass all expectations. You would easily excel past your four brothers, and your powers would earn you fear and jealousy from our family members, but also respect." He stopped again. He stared down at my cousin for a moment, then stooped and pressed his hand to my cousin's forehead. Using only one hand, he made a seal and my cousin's eyes slide open._

"_Grandfather," he said hoarsely._

"_That's all for the night, Soichiro. Come."_

"_Y-yes Sir." Soichiro got to his feet and followed my grandfather._

"_Tami – bed," my grandfather ordered. I inclined my head respectfully, then turned on my heel and walked back to my section of the compound._

I snap out of my reverie by a knock at my door. Pathetically, my thoughts immediately go to Sasuke. _Oh snap out of it, you moron_, I chastise myself as I walk into the main room. I draw back the bolt on the door and unlock it before pulling the door open.

"Grandfather," I say, surprised. I step back and allow him in, and once the door is closed I say, "Can I get you anything, Sir?"

"No, thank you," he replies, taking a look around. He takes a deep breath and says, "The last time I entered this house to visit…was the week before your mother had you." I swallow hard. I don't talk about my mother much. Since she'd died before I knew her, I have no memories of who she was or what she was like. I've never even seen pictures of her; my father had gotten rid of them all. "I can feel…remnants of Takai's aura in here though. His presence lingers." He sighs. "I'd hoped you'd have been able to exorcize your demons by now."

"My…demons, Sir?" I ask.

"The emotions that you still hold onto. Your anger at your father and brothers. Your guilt over the death of your mother. Your feelings of inadequacy, shame, doubt."

"With all due respect, Sir, you can't honestly expect me to simply forget the things that were ingrained into my head from the moment I was born," I say. "From the second I could understand my father's words, the only things he ever said to me were words of scorn and loathing. I can't simply walk away from ten years of abuse." I feel a small wave of sympathy pass through him, but it disappeared quickly.

"Yes, I do expect you to move on. As a Sohma, your control over your own emotions is vital to the development of your powers. How can you expect to respond to and manipulate the minds of others if you can't control your own?" I gape at him for a moment, anger welling up in my chest.

"Are you _shitting_ me? How can you expect me to just move on? Do you want me to just forgive everything that asshole did to me? Break my bones without taking me to the doctor, neglect me if I fell ill – he didn't even pick me up when I cried as an infant! And you want me to just say, 'Oh, that's okay'? Just forget it all? You're just as cold as he was, but what's worse is you're a _backstabbing_ piece of sh – !" I don't see his hand fly from the position he'd had it, crossed over his chest, but one second I'm screaming at him and the next my head is snapped to the side and I can taste blood. A thin stream of it creeps from the corner of my mouth and I wipe it away with the back of my hand.

"Do not forget who you're talking to," he warns me dangerously. I don't meet his gaze; I'm too disgusted. So he's no different. Just as domineering, just as cold, just as willing to tell me that my efforts aren't good enough. He grabs me roughly by the front of my shirt and hauls me toward him. I start pondering ways out of this, but my powers aren't nearly as strong as his, so they're all but useless. "I'm not telling you to forgive Takai. How he treated you was unacceptable. You were a child, and still are. But you need to _gain_ _control_. You are the most prodigious shinobi to come out of our family in several generations, but your talent will go to waste if you don't get a grip. You don't have to forgive to put your past behind you. Come to terms with how your fate has been dealt thus far, and move past it. Use your mind; it's the greatest gift you have." I look up at him now and see the fierce determination and honesty in his eyes. He releases my shirt and says, "You have awhile until the exams; I suggest you use your time wisely." And with that, he walks past me and opens the door. "Oh, and one more thing." I turn to look at him and he pulls something from a pocket I didn't know existed. It's a folded piece of paper. "I rescued this from your house before Takai burned it. It was my reason for making this visit." I cross the room and take it from him.

"Thank you, Sir," I say, giving him a small bow. He nods and says,

"Ice your cheek," then leaves. I look down at the piece of paper for a moment, then flip it open. It's a picture of a woman. Her eyes are a bright blue, and she has auburn hair that fell to her mid-back. It doesn't look like she has any freckles, or scars, or anything. All in all, she's really beautiful. She's not looking directly at the camera; instead, it looks like someone took her picture when she wasn't expecting it. Who is…? Then it hits me. Holy shit…it's my mom. I actually…look a lot like her. I don't know how long I stood there, staring at my mother's picture, but I finally tore my gaze from it to look at the time. It's nearly nine in the morning now; the exams are set to start at around eleven. Naturally, they would choose the heat of the fucking day. I walk back to my bedroom and gently set my mother's picture on my dresser. If I had a way to protect it, I would carry it with me to the exams, but since I don't, it'll stay here until I return. I return to the front of the house and sit in the center of my living room floor. My grandfather's words are prodding at me. He's right; the emotions I've been keeping bottled up will do nothing but restrain me from progress in the future. So I have to let go. I know I won't be able to release all of my pent-up hatred in one go, but maybe now that I have her picture, I can start easing the pressure of one of my greatest emotional faults – guilt over my mother's death.

I reopen my eyes a little while later, feeling a little more…at peace with myself. Letting go of emotions I've held onto for so long isn't easy, and only while working on it can I really feel the truth of it. My eyes dart up to the clock; nearly time. I stand and do a quick lock-up of the house, then head for the front door. The anticipation is building within me, and I can't stand waiting in the house any longer. I tug my shoes on, then leave, locking the door behind me. As I walk through town, I notice the excitement buzzing throughout the town. Even without my powers it would be impossible not to notice, and _with_ them the emotions are practically tangible. I walk past a small group of girls, maybe two years younger than me and probably in the academy, and I can hear their animated chatter.

"I heard from Tomoe that a bunch of really cute boys made it into the finals this year," one of them says to her three friends.

"Really? Like who?" they all squeal in unison.

"Well, she said one in particular," the first girl says, luring her friends in.

"Who? Who?" they practically scream.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" The other three gasp as love-struck looks come over their faces.

"Isn't he that really good-looking genin with black hair? He graduated this year, top of his class?" one of her friends asks.

"Yep, he's the one!" the first girl says.

"Oh, he's so dreamy!" another one sighs.

"Yeah, and he's a downright ass when you get to know him. But hey, if looks are all that matter, then suuuure, he's a real dreamboat," I say sarcastically, walking by them on my way to the arena. The four of them stop in their tracks and the first girl glares at me.

"And just how would YOU know?" I turn to look at her and feel a surge of superiority. It's rare that I actually get to talk down to people younger than me.

"Because I'm on his squad, you twit." Their mouths drop into stunned gapes and one of the other girls points at me and says,

"Y-you're on his squad?"

"Yep, so I'd watch the uppity tone of voice, if I were you," I reply, turning on my heel. As I walk off I can hear their conversation as well as their thoughts.

'_She's so lucky! To be on Sasuke's team-! Oh, that must be a dream come true!'_ _Actually, it's a lot of hard work and headaches_, I'm tempted to say in reply, but hold my tongue. I just keep walking in the direction of the arena. Upon reaching it, I find Shino, Neji, and the three Sand genin already there. So…we're missing Dosu, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Sasuke. That's…really odd. I thought Sasuke would have been here at the crack of dawn or something outrageous; for him to not be here at _all_ is practically madness. I look up into the stands and find that people are mulling around, trying to find the best seats. My eyes gloss over the multitudes of heads lazily, trying to see if I can find anyone I know…Ah, there's Sakura. With Ino? What the _fuck_, did everyone go bat shit crazy on me over the past month? Sakura and Ino are buddy-buddy, Sasuke's not here… I turn toward the entrance of the arena and watch as Shikamaru and Naruto walk toward me. The blonde's face seems to light up when he sees me and he hurries over.

"Tami! Hey! Man, it's felt like forever since…what the hell happened to your face?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, recoiling a bit as his brows furrow in outrage. He jabs a finger at what seems to be my cheek.

"That monster bruise! Who did that to you?" Ohh, I forgot…

"It's nothing," I reply, waving it off. Shikamaru's standing behind him now, and I can see the suspicion in his eyes as well, not to mention the fact that Naruto's fit has captured the attention of all the other combatants, who are now eyeing me. Thank goodness, my back is to them, so they don't have the luxury of flat-out gawking at my face. I haven't even seen the bruise, so I don't know how serious the damage is. Naruto's expression has softened a little, but he's not an ounce less furious as he murmurs,

"Tami…has someone been…beating you?" My eyes widen in surprise and I laugh.

"No. I got this because I kind-of deserved it. Don't worry about it, Naruto, really. I used to get beat up all the time by my brothers anyway, so this really doesn't affect me much." He frowns, his anger mellowing into depression. "Naruto, seriously. It doesn't even hurt; I forgot it was even there." He nods and the two of them take their places in line with me. Now the only two people missing are Sasuke and Dosu. What's really making me nervous is Sasuke's strange absence.

"Hey…where's Sasuke?" Naruto asks, as if he read my mind. "He should be here."

"Tell me about it," I mutter. "It's nearly time to sta-"

"Hey! Stop fidgeting! Stand still and face forward, toward the guests, for all of you are the stars of these finals!" I snort and smirk at the proctor's back.

"Thanks for reminding us," I say sarcastically. He throws me a look over his shoulder and I just grin.

'_I think I remember…Sasuke's opponent is…'_ Naruto's eyes dart down the line and lock onto Gaara. I casually swing my hand by Naruto's and tap it.

'_Gaara? Sasuke's facing Gaara? Are you shitting me?'_ I ask, eyeing the redhead cautiously.

'_Yeah. Didn't you find out who the pairings were?'_ he asks.

'_No, I didn't really need to. My skills aren't limited on the basis of the who; I can fight whoever.'_ I look over at him._ 'But out of curiosity, who are you up against?'_

'_Hyuuga Neji; Hinata's cousin.'_

'_I see…_' His face has morphed into an angry scowl, so I say,_ 'What's with the face?'_

'_He…he nearly killed Hinata in the preliminaries.'_ My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

'_Oh. How did he do that?'_

'_His eyes. He's able to see sensitive spots in the chakra system and block the chakra flow.'_ I nod once, showing my understanding. I'd forgotten the Hyuugas were capable of such things.

'_Is she alright now?'_

'_I don't know. I talked to her earlier and she seemed okay, but it's only been a month and she was really injured…'_ His eyes fall a little so I give him a small, affectionate nudge.

'_She'll be alright.'_ He nods, feeling a little more reassured, but I can see flashes of her at the end of her match with Neji as they flicker through Naruto's mind. Neji seriously fucked her up. I'm really quite stunned that she _didn't_ die. I'm quite glad she didn't, though, because she seems to care very deeply for Naruto and goodness knows he needs all the people behind him he can get. I look down the row of people once more, then toward the entrance. Sasuke's still a no-show, as is Dosu. Where the hell could they be? The crowd falls silent and I look up; Lord Hokage has gotten to his feet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, welcome and heartfelt thanks for gathering here in Konohagakure for the Chunin Selection Exam! We will now begin the matches of the final round between the nine candidates who advanced in the preliminaries!" Nine? There are supposed to be ten, and if they're counting out the people who haven't arrived, then it would be eight.

"Before we begin, I have a few announcements. Look here!" The proctor holds up a sheet of paper, upon which is written the schedule for the rounds. Naruto and Neji first, then Sasuke and Gaara, then Kankuro and Shino, then Shikamaru and Temari, winner of the fight going against me.

"Where's Dosu?" I ask.

"That's nobody's concern," he says. But a chill passes through him and his eyes flicker to Gaara for half a second. I quirk an eyebrow at him, then sigh and say,

"Fine, we'll do it the hard way." I focus my eyes on him and reign in my trained concentration, directing it all on the proctor. Thanks to my training, I can get a few clear images from his mind, while before now all I could get was a lock on a person's mind and a few snippets if I was focusing. The proctor's mind is still reeling, too, which allows me an easier time of getting what I want. I can see a section of the Kikyo Castle roof, smashed into pieces, and Dosu's crushed, bloodied corpse lying out for the crows to munch on. My jaw drops a little, in horror and anger. _Gaara had killed him? What the fuck for?_ I step out of line and whirl to face Gaara. "Upon meeting you, I thought that I could trust you to be one of the more professional applicants for this exam, but that was merely an act of…" Words fail me for a moment and the others stare at me, waiting for me to continue. Especially Gaara. I finally huff in exasperation. "From now on, why don't you do us all a damn favor and refrain from throwing a tantrum, huh? There are other people in this exam besides you, and taking on another person after them having to fight a round before mine isn't fair."

"You seem to think I care," Gaara replies coolly.

"Oh, I'm sure you don't. But I don't give a shit if you _don't_ care, there are consequences for the senseless murder of other people, especially when such murders cross country lines," I say, my voice level. "Such actions could spark all-out _war_."

"I don't care much for politics," he hisses, his blue eyes completely cold.

"Well maybe you should start. You seem to think you're invincible, but believe me – no one is." His lips curve into a demented smile.

"So you think." I snort.

"No, Gaara, it's what I _know_." The proctor lays a hand on my shoulder and says,

"Alright, you two, that's enough. It's time to get this match underway."

"Hey! Hey!" Naruto interrupts. "Sasuke's not here yet, so what's gonna happen?"

"If he's doesn't arrive by the start of his own match, he'll lose by forfeit."

"What an ass," I mutter.

"Listen up, all of you. This is the last exam. The landscape may be different, but just as with the prelims , there are no set rules. You fight until one of you dies or admits defeat, unless I determine that a clear winner has already been decided , in which case I'll stop the match before anyone's killed, understand?" We all nod and he says, "Alright then. Match One, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji. You two stay down here, the rest of you, proceed to the waiting room outside the arena." We nod and walk to the deck he'd gestured to. Once there, we lean against the railing and stare out at the two still remaining in the arena. _And so it begins._

Naruto's match passes by rather quickly, and of course everyone's favorite blonde nutcase comes out on top. Neji had been far too preoccupied with talks of fate and loathing for his family lines to really focus on the things Naruto was planning, and that had led to his defeat.

"Wow! He actually won!" Shikamaru says, gaping down at the blonde as he runs around the arena, blowing kisses to the audience. What a nut. "I can't believe it…I always thought that Naruto was one of the unslick guys, like me…"

"Unslick guys?" Shino repeats.

"You know, the opposite of the cool guys who always have girls going gaga over them. But now…I think he's got me beat. This is bad…it's depressing!" I snicker and put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"You give yourself no credit. You could be just as flashy and stand-outish as Naruto if you put the effort into it." Shikamaru looks up at me with a raised eyebrow, but his lips curve into a half-smile. "Trust me – Naruto only shows people up when they aren't trying as hard as he is. Then again, that's just about every time…" Naruto joins us on the upper deck, looking exhausted, and he slumps against the railing next to me.

"Haha, what d'you think of that?" Naruto asks, grinning up at me proudly. I smirk and say,

"Don't let a little round of applause bloat your ego too much, Naruto. But well done. Though to be honest, I knew the whole time that you'd be able to beat him."

"Huh? How come?" he asks, looking up at me. I smirk and say,

"You've yet to lose a fight that you're really committed to, that's why." He smirks and says,

"Would you have bet on it?"

"Fucking duh," I say. "It'd have made me quite a bit of money, too, I imagine." He chuckles, then gives me a real smile and says,

"Thanks Tami." I nod, then the realization hits me that Sasuke still isn't here, and it's time for his match. A cold wave of fear causes me to shudder as a notion comes to mind – what if he never went to Kakashi? What if he…went to Orochimaru instead? I shake my head to dispel that thought, though. No…after how hard he was trying to get me to trust him again, for him to just turn around and pull a stunt like this…

"What could he be doing? Is he not coming at all?" Shikamaru asks, staring down at the vacant arena.

"'The wise man does not court danger'…a prudent decision," Shino says, but I snort.

"Please. Sasuke's as much of a hard headed, stubborn ass as anyone. He's not here because of one reason." Everyone turns to me and Naruto says,

"What's that?" I smirk.

"He's with Kakashi-Sensei. And Sensei is ALWAYS late." Naruto busts up and says,

"Yeah, he is! Guess that makes sense!"

"But doesn't your sensei realize how important this is?" Shikamaru asks. "Sasuke's two seconds from being kicked out."

"Relax," I murmur, leaning against the railing. "Everything will work itself out."

"Yeah," Naruto says, resting his head on his hands, which are on the railing. "Of course he'll come…no doubt about it!" But someone's beginning to get worried. Slowly, I slide my eyes in the direction of the Sand genin. Kankuro mutters something to Temari, who says something in reply. They're acting far too secretive for it to be innocent, not to mention the incredible bloodlust radiating from Gaara. Another Jonin appears in the arena and exchanges a few quick words with the proctor. The proctor nods and the other Jonin vanishes, then he faces the stands.

"Everyone!" he shouts and the crowd, which had been screaming things in impatience, falls silent. "One of the contenders for the match has not arrived yet, so this match will be postponed and we will proceed to the next scheduled match!" I roll my eyes and face the other three.

"See? Told you." But this doesn't sit right with me. Why give Sasuke such special treatment? Someone must've talked the Hokage into it…but who? From where we are I can't see the Hokage, so I don't know who he's sitting with, but I know it's customary for the leaders of other nations with contenders in the finals to show up, so… My eyes dart back to the Sand genin. The Kazekage…?

"Hey! You mean my match has been moved up?" Shikamaru shouts. I snicker and say,

"Come now, Shikamaru – you want to be more like Naruto, don't you? You should be all over this."

"Well then…the next pairing is Kankuro against Aburame Shino! Please come down!" Kankuro hesitates a moment, throwing a glance at Temari, then he shouts,

"I withdraw!" Everyone gapes at him, then Temari pulls out her fan.

"Hold on a second," I say, looking at her. She glares at me in return, demanding,

"Why?"

"Turn off the bitch for a second and just fucking wait," I say, then leap from the deck, landing on the arena floor. I walk over to the proctor and say, "I have a request."

"Shoot," the proctor says.

"Since Kankuro is dropping out, may I face Shino instead? That way everyone has a fair fight, no second matches, and everyone is allowed to compete in the first round," I say. He mulls it over for a moment, then says,

"Wait here, I'll talk it over with the Hokage." I nod and he vanishes. My eyes go up to the Hokage's section of the stands and, sure enough, the Kazekage is sitting in a chair to his left. He must have been the one that chose to postpone the fight, but why? To see how well Gaara fairs? Or…to see how well Sasuke does? From this far off I can see the proctor talking to the Hokage, and after a moment the proctor vanishes and reappears at my side.

"After deliberation, we are replacing Kankuro with Sohma Tami in the second match of the final rounds!" I smirk in the direction of the other combatants and beckon Shino with my index finger.

"Ohh Shiiiinoooo," I call playfully. He leaps down from the deck and strides over to me.

"That was quite ingenious," he says when he's within range.

"Thank you. I just figured you wouldn't want to simply sit there until the second rounds start," I reply. I hold my hand toward him. "Good luck." He hesitates for a second, then takes my outstretched hand.

"Same to you." We back up a few paces, putting distance between us, and the proctor says,

"Match Two, Aburame Shino versus Sohma Tami – BEGIN!"

"Care to make the first move, Shino, or shall I?" I ask politely, fighting down a smirk. His mental signature is nice and fresh in my mind from the handshake, and all it'll take is a few hand seals…

"That's a good question," he says, and though I can't see his face well, I can feel him debating it. "I had the opportunity of watching you fight in the preliminaries, while you left and didn't see anyone fight but Sasuke. In all rationality, I should have the upper hand. However…you seem to be quite good at figuring things out and gathering information…so you could have more on me than you let on."

"Actually, Shino, I don't know very much," I reply. "I didn't even know who my opponent was going to be until I got here." His eyebrows shoot up over his sunglasses in surprise.

"You didn't? You took that great a gamble?" I chuckle.

"Hardly. My abilities don't need to be honed for one person – no matter who I faced, my training would've been the same, and my tactics of choice wouldn't have differed. I have my plan, and no matter who I have to fight, it remains constant."

"Isn't that a gamble as well?" he asks. "Once we fight, if you continue to the next round, your strategies will have been seen and broken down by the others." This brings another laugh from me.

"You sound concerned. Don't worry – just because the basic outline doesn't change doesn't mean my plan isn't flexible. Besides…I think you should spend more time worrying about yourself at the moment."

"Agreed," he admits. "But please, allow me to be the gentleman – ladies first." I snicker.

"Ahh, Kabuto insisted that too, Shino. Look what happened to him." But I take a running start toward him regardless. I swing a punch toward him and his arm shoots up in a cool, effortless block. He returns my move by raising his knee, intending to drive it into my other side, but I press my free hand to it and push it back. Likewise, he pushes my fist back with his forearm, only for me to sink my heel into his solar plexus. He slides back a bit, clutching the spot but not thoroughly winded. He's very good, tensing at the exact moment of impact to lessen the force to his diaphragm. "Huh. Very good."

"As are you," he replies, his voice sounding a bit weaker from his decrease in breath. "I've never met a girl with such a fierce left-hand punch." I laugh.

"I kick you in the stomach and you're talking about my punch?" He smirks.

"It was what stood out the most." He darts forward and swings his hand forward, but I duck back to avoid the blow. He keeps his attacks close to his body, which makes me think that he doesn't have a very broad range of motion. He probably doesn't have to, because if I remember correctly, Shino's family name is Aburame, the clan of shinobi who form alliances with insects…Meaning he usually utilizes his insects to do his bidding. He takes advantage of my moment of distraction to sink his foot into my right side, sending throbbing waves of pain through it. Jeez, I can feel the tremors all the way through the bones of my hip and leg. I hit the ground, but recover fast and since he's still close I swing my leg up and catch him behind the knee. The leg bends, trembling as a surge of pain goes through it, and he also falls to the ground, landing on his side. I leap to my feet and swing my foot up, attempting to drive it into his unguarded side, but he rolls out of the way in the nick of time. He gets to his feet, but has to twist to avoid the punch I throw at him. I smirk at him.

"Huh. Nearly ten minutes in and neither of us has dealt a really solid blow yet." He quirks an eyebrow at me and repeats,

"No solid blows? That last kick in your side doesn't count?" I snort.

"No offense, but it'll take a lot more than that. Don't get me wrong, it hurt like a bitch, but in a match like this, just causing pain accounts for very little." He shrugs and we go back to hand-to-hand. As we keep on, our moves keep getting faster and faster, as well as more relentless. He's exceptionally impartial when it comes to opponents, which is nice, and he isn't holding back at all. However, I can feel the mood of the crowd growing increasingly impatient and at last I decide to step it up. Shino throws a punch at me, but I grab his fist and hold it back.

"Gods, you're stronger than you look," he comments. I chuckle once more.

"Thanks. As much as I would love to continue exchanging blows with you, the crowd's growing more and more restless, Shino – time to do what we came here for."

"And what's that?" he asks. I smirk and release his hand, backing up a few paces.

"Show off." He understands my meaning and replies,

"Ah. Very well then." I suddenly become aware of a thin stream of black trickling down his arm to his hand. Wait, it's not trickling, it's…Ohh… "I take it you know what my family specializes in?"

"Yep. It's pretty much the one thing I DO know – Aburame, the clan specializing in insect-based jutsus due to the alliance they have with their insects." His hands and forearms are now completely encased in black, squirming masses and even at this distance I can hear the insects' soft sounds. "So what kind of insects am I in for today, Shino? Not the friendly kind, I imagine."

"These happen to be a variety of beetle that feed solely on chakra – both mine and anyone else's that it comes in contact with," he replies.

"Fan-freaking-tastic," I reply. "Let's do it." He's taken aback.

"You're coming at me without any way to defend yourself? You'll be drained of your chakra the moment you come near me." I shrug.

"We'll see." And with that I take my running start, making handseals. I have to use this one now, I suppose, though I have no idea if it'll even stop the bugs' onslaught once I'm within range. Perhaps they work on their own accord, should their master be rendered helpless, though my hopes are that they'll simply lose their minds and not know what the hell to do. I'm close now, so close… _Supiidodaun no Jutsu – Art of the Delayed Mind!_ I know immediately that it worked, because I can feel everything seem to slow for him. The transition from normal speed to the jutsu's is gradual, so he doesn't even notice – until my fist comes in contact with his face. He's knocked back, staggering and confused. The power of the jutsu lies in its ability to slow the victim's processing of visual stimuli, and thus lengthening reaction time, because I could still look far away even if I'm only within a few feet. I leap over him, facing his back now, and since his processing is delayed, he can't tell.

"H-how did you – Oof!" I drive my foot into his back, knocking him forward and sending him sprawling onto the floor. He gets up and looks around at me. "How're you doing this?" I smirk.

"Little secret," I reply. He grits his teeth, disliking my vague answer, and with a wave of his hand sends a horde of beetles toward me. I dart to the side, but they aren't affected by the jutsu and simply change their direction, continuing to come straight for me. _Oh shit._ I start stepping away from them, pondering a way out of this. I'm not the _grand master of fire jutsus_ like Sasuke is, so eliminating these beetles does pose a rather perplexing dilemma…_Wait a second…_ An idea comes to mind and I turn, taking off and heading straight for the arena wall. I can hear the buzz of the horde's wings as it comes closer and closer to me, and I pray that I make it with enough time…I can't afford to be swarmed by them – this jutsu takes enough chakra as it is. If I get caught up, even for a few seconds, it could be enough to break my hold on Shino, and then I might be a little screwed. Reaching into my kunai pouch, I withdraw one of my knives along with a letter bomb. Here it goes…

I hit the arena wall and run up a few steps, then push off. Rotating so I can see the swarm, I toss the letter bomb into their path of motion and cover my eyes. Three, two, one – The heat of the small explosion warms my forearms for a brief moment, then fades. My feet hit the ground and I look up to where my pursuers had been. There's nothing but singed grass and blackened concrete. Oh thank goodness. But I don't have time to celebrate my small win over the bugs, because while the first swarm had been giving chase, Shino had sent two more, smaller ones after me. _Damn it._ I quickly draw two more letter bombs and wait. They're coming in…close…When the first is within two yards of me, I toss the bomb and shoot back, throwing the other in the direction of its sister horde. I cover my eyes, hoping my timing is right. I hear the explosions as I skid to a stop a few yards from where I'd just been, and look up. Nothing left. While a little nerve-wracking, this seems…easy. I'd thought Shino would have still put up a solid fight even after I'd taken his visual perceptions.

However easy, I know I need to stop him before he's able to trap me. I know Shino's intelligent and will find some way to counteract his new handicap, so I have to incapacitate him before he has the chance. I take a running start for him, zigzagging rapidly to keep him confused. By now I'm sure he's calculated how many seconds his vision is delayed, and can ready himself just in time if he really listens for my footfalls. But just as I come within fifteen feet of him, I feel something on my leg. _Ohhh shiiit…_ I spare a glance down and, sure enough, there are dozens of Shino's friends polka-dotting my shins. How the hell did they get there without me noticing? That aside, that just means I have to hurry…Concentrating a greater amount of chakra to my feet, I launch myself forward. My grip on his mind is slipping…any second now and he'll return to normal…already the haze is starting to lift… Damn I hate bugs…

Circulating the most chakra I would allow myself to spare into my feet, I take advantage of the half-second delay he's still suffering, duck my head, and push off the ground. I slide right past him and skid to a stop right behind him just as the jutsu wears off completely.

"Now where are you?" he asks aloud. I smirk.

"Sorry Shino," I say and I feel him jump out of surprise and panic. "You lose." I raise my arm and deliver a swift but sharp blow to the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. If I'd had the chakra, I'd have knocked him out with a jutsu, the way I had Kabuto, because taking him out physically means he'll have a splitting headache upon waking. But since he _insisted_ upon draining my chakra…

"Winner of the second match – Sohma Tami!" The crowd erupts in enthusiastic cheers, but I just give them a small wave before bending and picking up Shino's conscious body. The medic nins run over to us and I put Shino on the stretcher. The bugs that had been attached to me are gone – I didn't even notice they'd climbed off. Huh, they're even sneakier than we ninja are. Impressive. I walk over in the direction of the combatant's balcony and when I'm close enough I look up and say,

"Your turn, Shikamaru!" But even at this distance I feel his reluctance. Temari draws her fan, flicks it open, and on a gust of wind she conjured with her chakra she floats down to the center of the arena. "Shikamaru, come on!"

"Well, at least you seem willing to fight! Hey! Final candidate, get down here!" the proctor calls.

'_Hey! Hey! What's the rush? Hold your horses! Why am I always getting shafted in the match schedules, huh? Darn it, I should just withdraw, too…'_ he thinks, but Naruto won't have any of that. He puts his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and shoves.

"Alright, go get 'em, Shikamaru!" Naruto cheers, sending Shikamaru over the railing and falling towards me.

"Whoa! Naruto, what the fuck?" I cry, backing up a step.

"WAAH!" he shouts as he falls, head-first, in my direction. Once he's close enough, I throw my arms out and feel my knees quake as his full weight sinks into my grasp. He takes a deep breath of relief and says, "Thanks. That could've sucked."

"Yeah, no shit," I reply, setting him down so he stood next to me. I snort and say, "So does this mean I'm your knight in shining armor now, Shikamaru?" He scoffs.

"No way, man. Especially since you're a girl and all…" I quirk an eyebrow at him.

"What's me being a girl have to do with anything?"

"Hey! Start the match already!"

"Just get it over with!" The audience has begun to get rowdy again, but in my opinion they can just fucking wait. Shikamaru sighs.

"How long are you going to stand there? Come on, kid!" Temari snaps, impatient.

'_Everybody was looking forward to Sasuke's match…and now they're being offered a poor substitute for the main attraction…everyone's annoyed…'_ Shikamaru thinks, looking up at the stands._ 'No one cares about the outcome of my match…is there any point in fighting?'_

"Hell yeah there is," I reply. "Watching you kick her ass would certainly make ME feel a lot better."

"What, you're gonna give up too?" Temari taunts, smirking at him. He looks over at her and thinks,

'_I'm up against a girl again?' _

"Hey Shikamaru! Get in there and fight!" Naruto yells down, growing impatient himself.

"Would you take a damn chill pill?" I ask in return, arching an eyebrow at him.

"If you're not going to come to me, I'm going to go to you!" I spin back around and see Temari sprinting toward us.

"Hey! I haven't told you to start yet –!" the proctor yells after her, but this doesn't slow her down. Once she's close, she raises her fan above her head, ready to attack.

"Good luck, Shikamaru," I say, then push my chakra to my feet and jump up just as Temari starts to bring her fan down. I look down and watch a cloud of dust rise into the air, shading both fighters from view. I reach the level of the observation deck and grab the railing, sticking my feet to the wall with my chakra and looking down. The dust clears and I see that Shikamaru, at the last second, shoved two kunai in the wall and is standing on them, out of the path of Temari's attack. Well, thank goodness he moved.

"Hey Tami!" Naruto says. I jump over the railing to stand next to him and say,

"Hey there. You know, it's really not nice to push." He grins a little sheepishly at me, moving his gaze to the arena instead. Another gust of dirt and leaves rises from beneath us, larger than the last, and when it clears I lean over the railing to see where the two of them have gone. Temari's making her way back to the center of the arena, while Shikamaru's vanished from my line of sight. I assume he's hiding amongst the trees, in the shadows and away from the psycho bitch with the fan.

"H…hey, Tami?" I turn back to Naruto, who's edged closer to me. He turns his cyan eyes up to meet mine, and I can see anxiety in them. "Are…are you sure Sasuke's okay?" His question takes me by surprise, but I smirk.

"Still worrying about that ass?" He nods, my nonchalance not doing much to quell his fears.

"This really isn't like him. Even if Kakashi's late, Sasuke probably would've left without him, don't you think? I mean, this is important to him, right?" I sigh.

"To be honest, Naruto, I have no idea where they are or if Sasuke's alright. I haven't heard from them in a month, like you. Yes, the fact that they're THIS late is definitely worrying me, too, because Sasuke's wanted to fight Gaara since they met." I lean against the railing and run a hand through my hair, shutting my eyes. I wish he'd stop bringing it up, because every time he does I start getting a worse and worse feeling about it… "But there's nothing we can do to change the fact that they're not here. If they want to spend all that time dawdling and Sasuke's disqualified because he's a tardy ass, then so be it." I put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We can't let ourselves be bogged down with negative thoughts, Naruto. Okay?" He hesitates for a moment, then nods and replies,

"You're right."

"Of course I am," I scoff, trying to cheer him up. He snorts and leans back against the rails, his head on his hands. Shikamaru's still biding his time within the cover of the shadows, thinking of a strategy, and I guess Temari's tried attacking him because some thin branches on the trees are broken and the entire area looks unnaturally windswept. I continue to watch, but I really don't see anything; my mind's on Sasuke. Where the hell is he? Naruto's right, Kakashi probably wouldn't have kept Sasuke away this long if his heart had been set on showing up. I shake my head slightly to dissipate these thoughts and the suspicions that are creeping up along with them. _Follow your own advice, Tami. Relax._ Taking a deep breath, I refocus on the match. Shikamaru's still hiding within the trees, and this seems to be pissing Temari off.

"How long are you going to keep running around? Will you quit it already?" she shouts, sending another blast of razor-sharp wind toward the trees. Dust rises into the air, and out of the cloud comes a kunai knife, heading straight for her. Nice to see that Shikamaru's finally fighting back. Temari dodges, only to spot a second headed for her as well. This one she blocks, using her fan to bat the knife away. A long, thin shadow darts forward from the forest as well, coming for her, but I see that she's drawn a line in the dirt – most likely marking the farthest his jutsu can reach. She seems to think she's safe, but when the shadow reaches the line, it just goes right past it. She scampers back, stunned, but only a few steps back and the shadow stops, hesitates a moment, then recedes.

"Nicely done," Shikamaru says.

"I get it…you were buying time, waiting for the sun to drop, so that the area of the wall's shadow and of your own would increase! Because as the day lengthens, so do shadows…" A small object floating through the air catches my attention and my eyes turn to it instead. It's…Shikamaru's vest, fashioned into a makeshift balloon with a kunai knife acting as the joining point and keeping it somewhat grounded. Brilliant.

"Temari! LOOK UP!" Kankuro shouts and I frown. Jeez, leave the fighting to the combatants, would you? Cheater. She does so and spots it, but at first she doesn't realize its purpose. The balloon floats along, seemingly innocent, then it hovers right over Shikamaru's shadow. Temari looks down and realization hits her, with only a second to react. She leaps back, just as Shikamaru's shadow utilizes the extra surface area that the balloon provided and starts lunging for her.

"I won't let you get away!" Shikamaru vows, his eyes fixated on her. She keeps jumping back, avoiding the shadow's grasp while trying to think of a method of counterattack. A grin stretches across her face and at last the shadow reaches its limits. She slides her gaze to Shikamaru and smirks, looking devious, and he just mutters, "You managed to dodge me again…" She throws a glance at the sky, noticing how much the sun has dropped since the beginning of the match, and her face shows her resolve. She's going to end this…or so she thinks she is. At this point, I could see it going either way. She's smart and quick, but Shikamaru seems to have a fair number of tricks and methods up his sleeve, as well… Temari shoves her fan into the ground, shielding herself from Shikamaru's view, but also blocking her sight. She puts her hands together, preparing to make her final moves, but Shikamaru acts faster. He puts his hands together and I watch his shadow shoot out of the shade of the arena. Using its path of motion, I estimate where he's intending on sending it, and I grin.

"He's got her," I murmur.

"Huh?" Naruto asks.

"Watch," I say. The shadow dips into the hole Naruto had blown in the ground during his fight with Neji, with the other side being right behind Temari. Sure enough, the shadow quickly emerges and reaches Temari's feet. I almost laugh when I see the determination on her face melt into confusion, then horror as she realizes that she's been rendered immobile. Shikamaru slowly, victoriously, pulls his hands apart, a smirk on his face.

"Finally…the shadow possession technique is a success!"

"What?" Temari screams. "Why can't I move? Your shadow shouldn't be able to reach this far! And I can see the end of it…" Shikamaru turns, allowing her to, and she sees the hole behind her. I chuckle as I feel the tension from everyone, eagerly anticipating Shikamaru's final move. _So much for being "one of the unslick guys"…Everyone's on their toes._ Shikamaru walks out of the arena's shadow, forcing Temari to walk toward him and meet him in the middle.

"All right! Get her!" Naruto screams. When they're only a few feet apart Shikamaru raises his hand, as does she. It seems like the entire arena draws a breath and holds it, waiting for Shikamaru's grand finale…

"That's it…I'm done…I give up!" The breath everyone had been holding seems to be let out in a gust, either as a sigh of disappointment or a short burst of outrage.

"Wh…what?" Temari asks. Shikamaru explains his reasoning – that he's used too much chakra and is about to lose his hold on her anyway – and that's enough for the proctor.

"The winner is…Temari!" I'd felt laughs winding their way up my throat since he said the words "I give up", and now they burst forth. I sink against the railing, unable to refrain. WOW. All that and he just gives up at the end. But even if he didn't win, he'd definitely made his match the most interesting. Were his moves separate attempts to nab her, or did he make them so they could work together to meet those ends? Was his goal capturing her that way the entire time, or did it just work out that way? I'm definitely going to start hanging out with Shikamaru more often; that boy's a genius!

"Why'd he give up? Is he stupid or something?" Naruto shouts, swinging his leg over the railing to climb down. "That really makes me mad! I'm gonna go give him a lecture he'll never forget!"

"What, for being smart and opting out when he knew he was done?" I ask, smirking. "Not everyone has the stamina and chakra you do, Naruto; perhaps you should remember that." He stares at me for a moment, considering my position, then jumps down. He marches over to Shikamaru, points at him, and yells,

"Stupid-head!"

"Shut it, Mega Dork!" Shikamaru retorts, glaring at him.

"Why'd you give up?" Naruto demands. I sigh, debating whether or not to go down and drag them back up here.

"Hmph. Do your friends have no sense of self-control?" I turn to look at him and glare.

"That's quite funny, coming from you, seeing as the first thing you did upon getting here was pick on a child for running into you. You even threatened to kill him." I smirk. "It's rather good that Sasuke and I intervened because, though even I didn't notice at the time, the boy you were holding hostage was Lord Hokage's grandson." I face the arena once more and add, "I'd watch the tone, if I were you." Kankuro glares at me, but he isn't really my concern. There are now two things on my mind…One, the incredible bloodlust radiating from Gaara. It's so thick now, practically tangible, and it makes me uneasy to know that someone about my age can have the urge to kill as strongly as he does. I throw a glance at the redhead and I see that his blue eyes are still fixed on the arena floor, anticipating Sasuke's arrival. And that's the second thing on my mind. There's no avoiding it now…if Sasuke doesn't show up, like, NOW, he'll be disqualified. Shikamaru and Naruto are still bickering, and now the crowd's getting antsy, and since I really don't want to be anywhere near Gaara at the moment, I jump over the railing as well and drop to the arena floor. I walk toward the boys, then stop when I feel a sudden change in the wind. A whirlwind erupts in the center of the ring, right next to Naruto and Shikamaru, and I shield my eyes from the blowing leaves and dust. _Just have to make a grand fucking entrance, don't they?_


	16. Chapter 16

_Haha...so I completely forgot to put disclaimers on my last few chapters...oops...see, I'm really bad at this! That's why I put my disclaimers in my journal! I can't remember to do them on every update! Anywho, I don't own any part of the Naruto series - no characters, no buildings, no catch phrases (believe it), no jutsus, nada, except for what came out of my pretty little head. Promise. Cross my heart and hope to...well, you know. Enjoy! (Now if only I could update this many times for real...)_

**Chapter 16**

The gust dies down and I uncover my eyes. There they stand, back to back and completely casual. I should be angry out of my damn mind, but for some reason, I'm not. I'm just so relieved that they're here, safe, at last. That doesn't mean that I'm not pissed, though. Kakashi turns to the proctor and, with a smile, says,

"Ah, so sorry we're late…"

"My ASS, Sensei," I bark and he looks over at me. I place my hands on my hips and give him a look that clearly says,_ 'I'm going to chew you both out the second I get the chance, and you can't escape me'_. He just chuckles, feeling a bit guiltier now that he sees that I'm angry, and says,

"My apologies, Tami."

"Well, you DID say Sensei's always late," Naruto says.

"And I didn't expect anything else, really, but such _excessive_ tardiness on such an _important_ occasion…made me start thinking something else was the cause," I say, laying careful stress on my words. Both of them meet my gaze and they seem to shrink under it. The proctor just smirks and says,

"Your name?" to Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he replies coolly, turning his onyx gaze on the proctor instead.

'_Heh…acting all high and mighty when he's inconvenienced everyone!'_ Shikamaru thinks.

"Oh I'm right there with you, Shikamaru, and believe me, SOMEONE'S going to get their asses kicked for it," I say, looking at him. "But for now, I suggest we leave the arena before Gaara gets down here and kills ALL of us."

"Feeling particularly riled up today, is he?" Sasuke asks, looking in the direction of the observation deck, and I can see flashes of memory running through his mind. Gaara had found them while they were training, and had talked to Sasuke. Why, I can't make out, but it's enough to make my blood heat a bit.

"Huh. Makes me wonder if he visited you before or after he decided to kill Dosu." Sasuke's eyes shift to me instantly.

"He killed Dosu? The Otonin?" I nod, not meeting his gaze, but looking in Gaara's direction. "Why?"

"How the hell should I know?" I ask, turning to him now. "Like I told you, I was going to spend ninety-five percent of my time at _home_. Like a good, SMART girl," I add, turning my gaze to Kakashi for that last bite. He holds his hands up in defense, looking a little (and rightfully so) sheepish. Naruto suddenly bursts in.

"Hey, you're real late, huh? I was wondering if you were getting cold feet about fighting me!" I snort, rolling my eyes. Of course that's the first thing he leaps to. "But then again…" Naruto starts chuckling. "Right now, I'm thinking you'd be more afraid of fighting Tami than anyone else." Shikamaru stifles his own laughter, turning his head so Sasuke can't see it, but thinks,

'_Yeah, no kidding. She looks about ready to kill him.'_

"Heh…chill out, you big dork," Sasuke replies, cocky as usual. I run my eyes over him carefully, looking for anything out of the ordinary. As far as I can tell, he's not injured…Although he's definitely more…toned than he was when he left…My eyes go back to his eyes and I stare at them, searching for anything…_anything_ that could be amiss. "From that loudmouth attitude of yours, I take it you won your first round battle?"

"Of course!" Naruto replies, returning the cocky attitude. Gods, men and their showing off. "Tami did, too." Sasuke meets my gaze now, that calm smirk making my blood burn with anger…but at the same time making my hands and knees quake a little…

"You did? Who'd you face?"

"Shino," I reply flatly. "Kankuro dropped out at the last moment, so I replaced him. Otherwise, I'd have been Shikamaru's second match of the first round." He nods, putting two-and-two together and realizing that my opponent should have been Dosu.

"Well, ah, flashy entrance notwithstanding…don't tell me…Sasuke loses by forfeit?" Kakashi asks the proctor. "See, I told you we'd be late, Sasuke…"

"Oh, so it's YOUR fucking fault!" I snap, rounding on him. Naruto and Shikamaru snort again, holding back the laughter building up in their throats.

"Wow, Naruto, she's not afraid to chastise anyone, is she?" Shikamaru asks. Naruto shakes his head. The proctor smiles and replies,

"Don't worry, you're safe. Sasuke's match was postponed. His match wasn't forfeited."

"Only because Lord Kazekage's got the hots for you, Sasuke," I mutter, and even the proctor has to stifle laughter at that one. Sasuke just rolls his eyes, and as his gaze reaches the observation deck they stop. Naruto follows his eyes, looking at the redhead, and I can feel unease bubble up in his stomach.

"Don't you dare lose to a guy like him!" he says.

"Yeah…" Sasuke says, absentmindedly.

"Sasuke!" Naruto bursts and Sasuke stares at the blonde, taken aback. "I…want to fight you, too." Sasuke's eyes narrow a bit and he softly replies,

"Yeah…" I roll my eyes.

"You two can spar any day of the fucking week; since when is an audience required to watch you two beat the shit out of each other?"

"Easy, Tami," Kakashi says, trying to placate me. "Proper apologies can be given later, as well as explanations, so please don't jump down everyone's throats..."

"Fine," I retort. "Naruto, Shikamaru, come on." I turn and start to walk away, but Sasuke grabs onto my shoulder.

"Jeez, first thing we get when we come back is attitu-?" I reach behind my shoulder, grab his wrist, and flip him over my back. He's slammed into the ground and I release him, smirking.

"I don't know why you keep letting me do that to you, Uchiha." I start to walk away again, but something catches me at the ankles and I fall. Rolling onto my side, I see that he's smirking at me now, already getting to his feet.

"I wasn't finished." I roll my eyes and stand, dusting myself off.

"Well, I was." I turn to walk off, but he catches my wrist.

"Why do you always have to make things so difficult?" he asks. I grit my teeth and twist, pulling my right wrist out of his grip and throwing a punch at him with my left. He quickly moves back, leaning out of the way of the blow, and he sighs, glaring at me. "See? I'm being perfectly civilized, and you're-"

"No, Sasuke, you're a complete JACKASS," I reply hotly. I start to pull my arm back, but he catches my wrist. "Let go."

"No," he replies. I pull, but this time his grip on me is tighter. "I just said n-" The rest of his sentence is cut off when I sink my right fist into his gut, feeling the air leave him as his body sinks inward. He releases my wrist and I smirk.

"Come on, Sasuke. Thought you'd have toughened up a bit during your training." I don't even see his hand move, but a second later, a splitting pain is bursting from the lowest of my ribs on the right side of my body. I gasp in pain and my hand flies to the spot.

"You done…being a brat?" he asks, still struggling to regain his breath. I chuckle.

"I could cause you so much pain right now…it'd be easy…but seeing as you've kept everyone waiting for so long, you tardy ass, I should let you get to your match." I straighten up, ignoring the pain lingering in my side. He looks up at me and I grin. "Don't fuck up, Uchiha. And welcome home." With that I turn and walk away from him.

'_So difficult…'_ he thinks, rolling his eyes, but the warmth that I feel spread through him is enough to tell me that he's not mad at me at all…despite the fact that I punched him. Naruto and Shikamaru catch up and walk on either side of me.

"And let's just take the stairs this time, okay?" Shikamaru asks pointedly and Naruto replies,

"What? Are you still holding it against me that I shoved you?"

"Well, like I said, it wasn't nice," I interject, smirking at him. Naruto snickers.

"Neither was punching Sasuke like that."

"He had it coming; the timing was the only variable," I reply.

"You two are going to have such weird, violent kids someday," Shikamaru says and I laugh.

"There's more of a likelihood of me killing him first."

"Wow, Sasuke and Tami?" Naruto says aloud, mulling the idea over. I chuckle.

"Don't get too stuck on the notion, Naruto. It's highly unlikely."

"Yeah right," Shikamaru says, giving me a wide grin. "I knew Sasuke through the academy, and I've never seen him warm up to a girl as much as he has to you."

"That's because I'm not like most other girls," I reply with pride.

"And that's probably what attracts him to you," he continues. The conversation has gone from light-hearted teasing to oddly and rather uncomfortably serious in a heartbeat.

"I think you're reading far too much into the way Sasuke and I interact, Shikamaru," I assure him, but even I don't feel much solid truth in my words. As of this moment…I'm not really sure…how to categorize my relationship with Sasuke. It feels like we're constantly treading on thin ice and one wrong move could shatter it, but at the same time there's no one I feel more comfortable and safe around. Ironic as that is, really, seeing as if that curse mark takes over again, he would have the power to kill me without effort. Naruto rushes ahead, taking the stairs two at a time, and turns back over his shoulder.

"Hey, c'mon, hurry up!" he says, impatient as ever.

"No good ever comes from rushing, you know!" Shikamaru retorts, content with his lackadaisical pace. Naruto looks over the top of the next set of stairs and freezes. "What's the matter?" I can feel the three presences ahead of us and a chill runs down my spine. From here, all we can make out is quiet murmuring from down the hall, but the bloodlust I can feel completely reaches me and sends waves of tremors through me. Suddenly, my vision goes black and my body falls numb. I wake not a moment later, someone's arms around my waist and my arm draped over someone's shoulder. I suck in a deep breath and look up at him.

"S-sorry, Shikamaru."

"What was that all about?" he asks, but stops when Gaara's footsteps approach. Both Naruto's and Shikamaru's heart rates shoot up as he gets closer to us, and the way we're standing has our backs to him. Their hearts are beating so hard, I'm stunned that I can't actually hear them. Shikamaru's palms are beginning to perspire, covering my wrist in sweat. Gaara finally steps past us, and as he goes by he slides his cold blue eyes up to meet mine. I meet his gaze, refusing to show fear, and I can hear the thought that goes through his mind…

'_So…she's the one…' _

"What?" I ask, my voice level even though I can feel my knees shaking from a combination of the boys' fear and my own anxiety. He'd just murdered two people, and he didn't seem the least bit fazed by it. Gaara doesn't reply for a moment, then he mutters,

"One of those people…the kind of 'precious' people…the ones people care about, and protect…die for." He speaks as if he doesn't have anyone like that…and that strikes a nerve deep within me. I know what it's like to not care about anyone, and it hurts. My face softens a little, but he doesn't appear to notice as he turns and keeps descending the stairs. As soon as he's out of sight, the tension in the air dissipates into relief. Naruto sinks down onto a stair, Shikamaru following suit and taking me with him.

"I-I'm okay, Shikamaru, you can let go," I say softly, pulling my arm from around his shoulders. "Besides, right now _you_ look like the one that needs to be supported." He sucks in a deep breath, nodding slightly to me. I turn my eyes to Naruto; he's wide-eyed, his hands clutching the stairs beneath him so hard his knuckles are whitening. He's trembling all over. "Naruto?" He doesn't reply.

"…If it hadn't been for those two…we probably would've been killed," Shikamaru murmurs, doing nothing to quell Naruto's fears. Shikamaru puts a hand to his forehead. "I've never met anyone who killed so automatically…even Sasuke better watch it…Yikes…" This sends another wave of panic coursing through the blonde at my side. "Remember that time we ran into him at the hospital?" he asks.

"The hospital? What was he doing there?" I ask. "Was he injured in the preliminaries?"

"Pft, if only," Shikamaru replies. "Lee gave Gaara everything he had, and then some, but Gaara wasn't injured at all." I sigh.

"So he has a reason for thinking he's invincible."

"Exactly. But no…he was at the hospital to kill Lee in his sleep." My jaw drops in horror.

"What the fuck? Why? Is Lee alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Gaara didn't appreciate us interrupting him very much and left before he did any harm. Well, any more than he'd already done…"

"What do you mean?" I ask. Both Shikamaru and Naruto flinch as images flash through their minds. Oh Gods…Lee…_destroyed_ himself, and Gaara only added to the beating by crushing Lee's arm and leg with his sand. "Oh…" I say softly.

"Yeah," he replies. "But at the hospital, that time he said, "I will kill you all…just you wait"…But he didn't. Even though it was his best chance, we didn't even register in his sight."

"We're…not enough for him," Naruto muses, an edge to his voice.

"Right now, the only one that can satisfy him…" Shikamaru starts, his voice trailing off.

"Is Sasuke!" Naruto finishes, his voice grave. Another wave of sheer panic goes through him, and I force a smile.

"Oh, come on. Naruto, it's starting to freak ME out that you're so worried."

"Why aren't you?" Naruto demands, setting his cyan eyes on me. "How can you be so calm when-?"

"Because I know that Kakashi-Sensei and Sasuke weren't just fucking around for a month," I reply, cutting him off. "Kakashi saw what Gaara can do, and I know they've probably devised some method to get around Gaara's defenses or whatever it is that makes him untouchable." Naruto eyes me for a moment, once again taking my point of view into consideration, then he stands.

"Let's go up to Kakashi-Sensei."

"What're you thinking?" Shikamaru asks. He doesn't reply, but turns and starts running up the stairs, calling back to us,

"I'm going to stop this match!" I sigh, standing as well, and Shikamaru asks,

"Aren't you going to go after him?"

"Pft, hell no," I reply, giving him a weak smile. "There are a few things you learn as teammates, one of which is knowing when it's pointless to try and talk your teammate out of something. Naruto's going to tell Sensei to stop the match no matter what I do or say, so I may as well save my energy and just let him go." Shikamaru smirks a bit and says,

"Sounds almost like my line of thinking." I chuckle.

"Nah, you would plan two hundred moves ahead of just giving up before doing so. Me, I'm just saying…well, fuck it."

"My mind doesn't _always_ work that way," he says, standing as well. We start walking in the direction Naruto ran in, taking an easy pace.

"Really? Do you only think that way when fighting?" I ask. "Because I have to say – you're quite ingenious." I snicker. "So much for being one of the unslick guys. Do you have any idea how much tension filled the audience during your match, especially in the last few minutes?"

"Huh, really," he says, looking surprised.

"Honest and truly. Everyone was so drawn in, waiting to see what your next move was." He smiles a little, looking proud, and we climb the stairs leading to the audience. Once at the top, I easily find our favorite impulsive moron, but the boy standing right near him attracts my attention more. "Lee!" I run down the stairs and once I reach him I throw my arms around him, taking care not to hug too tightly in fear of hurting him. He's still using a crutch…

"T-Tami! What a nice surprise!" he says sweetly, using his unused arm to return my hug. I pull away from him and smile, then look down to get a better look at him.

"Lee…" I murmur, taking notice of what he's wearing. Instead of his forest green jumpsuit, he's wearing a loose robe and a pair of dark capris…they look like hospital clothes. He still has a piece of cloth taped to his cheek, too, and his left hand is wrapped in tape. He gives me his usual grin and says,

"Don't look so worried, Tami-chan! I'll be back to normal in no time!" I return the smile, then turn to Kakashi and say,

"Has Naruto pleaded his case yet?"

"He has," he replies.

"And?"

"I'm not going to ask to stop it," he answers. "There's a reason we got here so late."

"Besides the fact that you're always late?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. He shrugs, but sees the smile on my face and relaxes a little, knowing that I'm not going to unleash my ungodly wrath upon him…now.

"Sensei, what do you mean by 'there was a reason we were so late getting here'?" Sakura asks. Jeez, her and her damn questions.

"Hm? You really want to know?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm telling you, this isn't the time to be chatting!" Naruto demands, but Kakashi barks,

"Just be quiet and watch him." We're all taken aback by the sharpness of his command. "You'll be surprised." I snort.

"I doubt it."

"Oh come now, Tami," Kakashi encourages, but I say,

"I'm simply saying that it's not like I didn't expect you to teach him something incredible while you two were gone, that's all. If you were going to drill him with rudimentary basics, you would've just stayed here, but you left, meaning that you wanted two things: separation and secrecy. You told me you wanted Sasuke free of distractions while he trained, but you also didn't want whatever you taught him to somehow find its way into the hands of the enemy. So, surprised? No. Impressed? Well…if he doesn't impress me, it's double beatings." Kakashi's stunned by my answer, but smiles all the same.

'_And did you learn anything special while we were gone?'_ he asks.

'_Perhaps,'_ I reply, a sly grin curving my lips._ 'But you'll just have to wait to find out. I used one new technique during my match, but because you decided to be late, you didn't get to see it.'_ He sighs and just puts a hand on my shoulder.

'_Are we going to get your forgiveness anytime soon?'_

'_It's possible. Depends on how much you're willing to plead,'_ I reply, the smile sliding off my face._ 'I was really starting to worry. At first I shrugged it off, since you __are__ always late, but then…when it got to the end of my match and you still hadn't shown up, and there'd been no word from you…I was beginning to fear something had…gone wrong.'_

'_By wrong you mean…the curse mark?'_

'_The curse mark, an ambush…Sasuke never going after you at all,'_ I answer. He nods, understanding my side._ 'Just don't leave me out of the loop next time. If you're going to be so horrendously late, tell me.'_

'_It wasn't intentional, but Sasuke insisted on getting in a little more practice before we showed up.'_ I groan, rolling my eyes.

'_What an ass.'_

'_I think he's trying to prove something to you,'_ he says.

'_Like what? I know he's talented; he doesn't need to rub it in.'_

'_I think he's just worried you're doubting his ability to watch after himself, and his idea of proving you wrong is to get stronger.'_ I sigh.

'_I'm not worried about his physical health; I'm worried about his emotional one.'_ Kakashi arches an eyebrow at me, then our attention is attracted by Gai saying,

"Wow, that must be extremely annoying to everyone else."

"What?" Kakashi asks.

"When you talk that way," Gai replies, his eyes going between us. "When no one else can hear you."

"It's only as annoying as when higher ranked shinobi discuss things that are above our heads," I reply, giving him a smile. "Same basic idea." I turn my eyes to the arena and watch as Sasuke jumps away from the shell Gaara's created out of sand, shooting into the air and skidding to a stop halfway up the arena wall. He does a rapid set of handseals, some of which I've never seen before, then he stretches his left arm, his right hand on his left wrist, as if the hold it in place. I watch carefully, seeing something begin to spark within his palm. Is…is that the same as…?

"Don't tell me that's…" Gai begins, and I whistle.

"He picked it up that quickly, mm?" Kakashi simply smiles, looking proud.

"The reason I took Sasuke under my wing is because he's…very similar to me." I take a deep breath as I recall the two times I've experienced that move; when it looked like Orochimaru had come to take Sasuke, and…I swallow and say,

"Sensei…that move…is that the one you used to…" My hand subconsciously moves to my chest, where the blow had struck, and killed Haku. He notices where my hand is, and answers,

"Yes, it is." No one else knows what we're talking about, which is good, but I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that pain.

"Flesh activation? I see…so that's why you had him focus on taijutsu and increase his speed so much…!" Gai accuses, to which Kakashi brightly replies,

"Yup!" Sakura asks a question, to which Gai provides the explanation, but I'm not listening; my eyes are glued to Sasuke. He's so fast…I've always known he's capable of incredible feats, but this…I'm suddenly aware of how hard my heart is pounding, waiting for the second he drives his hand into the sand. Will it have the power required to blast through that supposedly impenetrable sand? Gods, I hope so…From beside me I hear Kakashi chuckle and he says,

'_And to think that you're mad at him. The look on your face doesn't say so.'_

'_Shut up,'_ I mutter back, but that little jab doesn't take away from my anticipation. Gai's voice finally registers as he says,

"…Resulting in a unique attack sound that resembles the crying of a thousand birds…accordingly, that move is called…" I feel my breath catch in my throat as Sasuke's fist comes in contact with the shell, and Gai finishes his explanation. "-Chidori, one thousand birds!" Sasuke's hand plunges into the wall, stunning everyone except for Kakashi and myself. I'm just relieved. At least there's something that can permeate Gaara's defense; if Chidori hadn't worked, Sasuke would have been _screwed_. A frenzy of talking and thoughts erupts around me, but it's all garbled on the outside of my tunnel-vision. I'm waiting to see what Gaara's next move is. How deep into the shield did Sasuke's arm penetrate? Did he even hit Gaara? This is answered when we hear a bloodcurdling scream from the arena.

"WAAAAH! BLOOD…I'M BLEEEEEDING!" A shudder goes through Sasuke's body and he tries to pull his arm away, only to find it stuck. He puts his hand to the shell, using his other arm to help wrench himself free, and at last his arm comes away…with something grabbing onto him. I take a step forward, trying to make out what it is. It…it looks like an arm…_ Holy…_ Even from this distance, I can see blood dripping to the ground, and I can't tell whose it is – Sasuke's or Gaara's. Sasuke yanks his arm free of the monstrous appendage holding him and it recoils slowly, drawing closer to the shell as if to serve as additional protection.

"What is that?" Gai asks aloud, and I feel both the Jonin at my side grow tense. Sasuke sinks to his knees, gripping his left arm and staring at the shell. The hole he'd blown in it isn't closing over, and I wonder if Sasuke can see within…Even at this distance, I see the shudder that rips down Sasuke's frame, and somehow I feel a similar chill run down _my_ spine. I couldn't possibly feel him from this far away, but…then the cold, sinking feeling appears in the pit of my stomach, my palms begin to sweat, and my mouth goes suddenly dry. I remember this feeling – the horrible, ominous feeling I had right before our last fight with Zabuza. I spin around, turning my wide eyes to Kakashi.

"Sensei, Sasuke – he's in danger! We all are! This is it – Orochimaru's acting _NOW_!" Sure enough, I watch as the rows of onlookers slump forward in their sits, falling into a deep sleep, the result of a genjutsu being cast at the very back. I fold my hands together and quickly dispel it, my eyes searching for the caster. He's right…there! At the very back there stands an ANBU Black Op agent, and I can feel his mind at work as he casts the genjutsu. Why would a Black Ops agent-? My eyes widen as I sense the familiarity of his mental signature. I know him…Racking my brains, I wonder where I've encountered him before. Finally, it hits me who it is and my jaw drops for a moment of angry realization. "YOU _BASTARD_!" I race past Kakashi and Gai, going back up the stairs and darting for him. I get within reach and throw a punch toward him, but he gracefully leans back, dodging the blow by inches. His eyes meet mine from beneath his mask – probably the one he stole from the guard he killed – and they seem to vibrate with excitement. From somewhere above us, I hear an explosion ring out and a moment later the ground beneath my feet shakes. Kabuto takes several steps away from me, but I chase after him, making hand seals. If I can flip up his mask and touch him just once… Pushing chakra to my feet, I spring forward, my speed catching him off-guard and giving me the opportunity to grab his mask. I manage to slip my finger under the chin and pull, slipping it off his face and exposing him. He gives me a cool smirk, as if this is just a little game to him.

"Nice to see you again, Tami."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but the feeling isn't mutual," I retort. I feel the chakra of my jutsu circulating in my palm, waiting for its implementation. I just have to hurry before it wears off. I swing my leg down toward his ankles, but he leaps over them, hopping down the backs of the chairs to the front row where he's joined by four Sound shinobi. _Damn it…_ Taking a deep breath, I reach into my kunai pouch and withdraw two knives, taking one in each hand. It looks like I'm going to have to do the one thing I've desperately wanted to avoid ever having to do again…Kill someone. Circulating my chakra to my feet, I push off of the ground and leap over the rows of seats and unconscious members of the audience, landing right next to the Otonin flanking Kabuto's right side. He chuckles.

"If you know what's good for you, girl, you'll –" He doesn't finish that sentence, because I step sideways and drive my kunai knife straight into his sternum. Blood gushes from the wound, covering my hands and spilling onto the ground below. A chill runs through me as I feel him fade away into darkness, my vision going black for a split second, then I release the blade and let him fall to the ground. I can feel awe and shock from a few of the people around me, probably Kakashi and Gai, but right this minute I can't focus on the morality of what I just did. We're in the middle of being attacked, and from the looks of things these guys aren't up for negotiating. The shinobi that had been standing behind him darts forward, a kunai knife in his own hand, and as he swings it toward me I parry, knocking his swipe off course so it goes right by me, then swinging my leg up to catch him in the side of his knee. A loud _crack_ signifies its dislocation and he drops to the ground, but I don't take any chances and kick him in the side of the head, knocking him unconscious. Three more Otonin spring up to my landing, but as one of them starts coming up behind me I sense someone at my back. Turning, I see that Kakashi-Sensei darted down the stairs and defended my blind side, slicing through the advancer's neck. He drops to the floor dead, and I shudder once again.

"Are you okay to keep this up?" he asks.

"I've gotten better at dealing with death if I'm ready for it," I reply. "I don't black out anymore."

"That's not what I mean," he says. I purse my lips for a moment, then swing my arm up, blocking a round of shuriken from hitting me, courtesy of one of the shinobi still guarding Kabuto. Once they're taken care of, with a flick of my wrist I toss the kunai knife and hit him in the forehead, sending him to the floor as well.

"Don't really have a choice, do I? I'm a shinobi – it's my job. I can't just sit around and let them do this without fighting back." A surge of pride swells up in Kakashi's chest as he catches another shinobi in the chin with a fierce kick, knocking the man's head to the side so sharply that his neck breaks. I cringe from the second's worth of pain before he dies, then throw a glance down at the arena. The exam proctor is standing between Sasuke and a man who appears to be a Jonin from Sunagakure. Temari and Kankuro are standing on either side of Gaara, looking panicked. Gaara doesn't seem to be doing very well; he's bent double, his hands on his head as if he has a massive headache. Their sensei says something to them, then they pick up Gaara and dart off with him, leaping over the arena wall and disappearing into the forest. Sasuke watches them go, then says something to the proctor, who gives him a reply. At first, Sasuke looks confused, then he gets up and follows after them. _Is he fucking insane? He's going after all three of them on his own?_ I refocus on Kabuto, who's now standing alone, the other Otonin behind him having darted off. Kakashi leaves, hurrying up the seats to protect Sakura, who suddenly found herself the target of two Otonins, and I smirk at the stunned expression on his face. "What, surprised that we're putting up such a good fight?"

"I'm surprised that you've hardened enough to take someone's life," he replies. "When we met in the Forest of Death, I knew you were tougher than most other girls but not strong enough to actually kill. What changed?" I pull another kunai from its holster and twirl it around my finger.

"Now it's really life or death. I've faced this sort of pressure before, but I've always been able to avoid making the kill myself. This time, though, sitting back and letting the Jonin handle it alone isn't an option. We're too few in number."

"I see…so it's _just_ the necessity that's driving you?" he asks. I grind my teeth for a moment at his insinuation and reply,

"I'm not _getting off_ on this, you son of a bitch." He chuckles, shrugging.

"Merely understanding your motives, that's all." I dart toward him, my blood boiling in disgust. His gray eyes watch me carefully, trying to figure out my next move, and once I'm within range he dips back once again, staying out of the way of my touch. Perhaps he caught on to my need for contact to perform most of my jutsus, in which case I may be in a bit of trouble. He seems focused on avoiding me, so I decide to break his concentration by talking to him.

"What is it you're trying to accomplish by this anyway? Why us?" I ask. Even if this is primarily to serve as a distraction, I am curious to know why they have it in for Konoha so badly.

"I personally have nothing against Konoha," he replies, and I can feel his honesty. "I've never been given a reason to dislike it. But Orochimaru…his main problem lies with your Hokage, his old master. From what I understand, Lord Orochimaru hates Sarutobi for shunning him after he found out the things Orochimaru was doing. Not only that, but he would enjoy watching his master suffer defeat at his hands, proving that the jutsus he developed were better than the Hokage was willing to give him credit for."

"What kind of jutsus?" I demand, swinging the knife in my hand toward him. This he stops, however, with his own knife – the curved one he'd used in Sasuke's hospital room a month ago. He smirks.

"He performed countless live human experiments and finally developed the most forbidden of jutsus…Furofushi no jutsu, the art of immortality." My eyes widen as his response rings in my ears and he takes advantage of my surprise, knocking my blade to the side and driving his hooked knife toward me. I step back out of its way and say,

"I-Immortality? That's impossible!" He chuckles.

"Yes, it's easy to deny, but Lord Orochimaru has succeeded. You see, he's one of the three Sannin – the legendary shinobi that fought Hanzo during the Second Shinobi World War – and possesses unbelievable power. He's also over fifty years old, but as I'm sure you noticed, he doesn't appear fifty, does he? He found that in his age he was beginning to lose his strength, and therefore transferred his soul and mind into the body of another." I choke, the pieces falling into place and realization hitting me like a brick.

"So that's what he wants Sasuke for," I breathe, horrified. "He wants Sasuke to be the next person he transfers himself into."

"Precisely," Kabuto confirms. "Why he chose Sasuke in particular, I'm not sure. Perhaps because he also holds a grudge against Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother."

"I know who Itachi is," I mutter, my eyes narrowing.

"Oh, you do?" he asks, looking amused by my reaction. "Personally?" This prods a nerve within me and I swing my fist toward him, wanting to drive it into his face and knock out his teeth. He blocks my punch, but as he throws his arm up, the sleeves of his robe fall and leave his forearms exposed. My arm comes in contact with his and the connection with his mind is restored. I smirk. _Got you now._ I quickly perform the handseals I had earlier and though he takes a step back, there's no escaping me. _Zenshinfuzui no jutsu – art of total paralysis!_ He'd begun to take another step back, but halfway through it his entire body comes to a stop, as if he'd been frozen in solid ice. The jutsu's space-sensitive, lasting only as long as I'm around and have enough chakra to sustain it, but for now it's doing its job. Working quickly, I knock Kabuto to the ground and pull a strand of wire from my shuriken pouch, tying his wrists to one of the bars of the railing. Hopefully we'll be able to hold him hostage, if only for a little while, and I can extract information from him. I turn to find Kakashi, who's still thinning the Sound shinobis' numbers, so I hurry up the stairs to give him a hand. One of them darts forward, going for Kakashi's unprotected back, but I dive behind him like he had for me just a little while ago and as he gets within my reach I touch him, knocking him unconscious and pushing him off course, sending him falling down the stairs.

"Sensei, Sasuke ran off after the Sand genin by himself," I say quickly. "I'm going after him."

"Tami, I can't let you go off alone," he says. "It's too dangerous."

"_He's_ alone," I argue. "And it's three against one. The odds against him are too great for us to hold off sending him help."

"Nevertheless, I refuse to let you chase him alone. By now Orochimaru will have dispatched Sound ninja to track him, and if they catch you first you won't be able to help Sasuke anyway." I open my mouth to fire back a retort, but someone answers for me.

"She won't be alone." Our eyes dart to the top of the stairs and there stands Shino. My lips tug into a smirk and say,

"That eager for your match against Kankuro?" He returns the smirk and simply says,

"Are you coming?" I nod and we dart down the stairs, though I know Kakashi wants to continue arguing. Instead, he just projects,

'_I'll be sending help after you two soon – don't get into too much trouble before they get there!'_ I throw him a nod over my shoulder and we jump over the railing, running along the rim of the arena before leaping into the forest.

"I've already marked Sasuke, so he'll be easy to follow," he says and I nod.

"Good thinking," I reply, though even if he hadn't we'd be able to follow him anyway; his mental signature is still crystal clear in my mind and easy to track. We dart through the trees, but they have a rather sizeable lead on us and I only hope that nothing bad happens before we're able to reach them.

"Tell me something, Tami," Shino says and I look at him out of the corner of my eye. "I know you have some kind of power that enables you to just…know things about people. What is it?" My lips tug into a small smile and I say,

"Well, since you seem to be the trustworthy type, I suppose it won't hurt to tell you."

'_I'm a psychic,'_ I continue and I feel him jump at the sound of my voice._ 'I can read minds and even see bits and pieces of the future, as well as sense when things are going to happen. That's how I appear to "know things", and why most of my jutsus are based upon attacks on the body itself and not outward forces.'_

'_I see,'_ he muses, absorbing the information._ 'How far is your range?'_

'_That all depends. My connectedness with the mind is based upon physical contact. The more time I've spent touching a person, the more familiar their minds are to me. For instance, since I've only touched you twice now, I can't see into the innermost parts of your mind, neither would I be able to find if you if you got too far from me. But I've had a great deal of contact with Naruto and Sasuke, so their minds are more available to me. I can actually feel Sasuke's presence now, even though he's so far ahead of us. I can't make out his thoughts from this distance, however.'_ He nods, assimilating that last bit of knowledge._ 'So, what's the plan for when we catch up?'_

'_I'll take on one of them; it doesn't look like Gaara's in fighting shape, so they'll probably leave him out of it or send him ahead. If they only leave one person behind, sending the other to keep Gaara from danger, then I'll stay behind and fight. You continue on with Sasuke.'_

'_Are you sure?'_ I ask, quickly adding,_ 'Not discrediting you or anything.'_ He nods.

'_Sasuke will probably need your help more than I will. If Gaara gathers enough strength to fight, he may pose a very serious problem. He's a fearsome character; completely void of remorse. He won't hesitate to kill Sasuke, if given the chance.'_

'_So I gathered. I've heard several horror stories about him, including what happened during his preliminary fight against Lee.'_ Shino nods. I suddenly notice that we're getting closer to Sasuke, who's stopped, so I say,

"We're coming up on them." He nods, preparing himself for confrontation. A cold sweep of fear sweeps through me, causing my knees to buckle as I touch down on the next tree branch and I'm forced to stop. He stops one branch farther, turning back to me.

"Tami?" I take a deep breath, turning my gaze back the way we came. "Are you alright?"

"Something bad happened," I reply, my voice soft.

"One of your senses?" he asks and I nod. "Can you tell what it was?"

"No," I reply. "But…it's severe."

"There's nothing we can do," he says, though sounds bothered by the thought of it. "We have to keep moving forward."

"I know," I reply, so I turn back to him and we take off once more. It doesn't take long to find Sasuke, who's standing across from Kankuro; Temari and Gaara are nowhere in sight.

'_I'm going to stay hidden,'_ I say._ 'It'll make sure we maintain the element of surprise when we catch up with Gaara.'_

'_Good idea,'_ he says._ 'Good luck.'_

'_Same to you.'_ I jump up to a higher section of trees, coming to a stop and watching the scene from above. I can feel two figures continuing on – Temari and Gaara, undoubtedly. We have to get moving before they get too far ahead.

"I suppose we have no choice…I'll take you on!" Kankuro says, pulling the wrapped bundle from his back and setting it beside him.

"No, I will be your opponent!" Shino says, touching down on the branch. Sasuke turns to him and says,

"Shino, what're you doing here?" Shino points to him and Sasuke looks down at his shoulder.

"Before you left the arena, I had my beetles mark you with a female scent. Even though it's almost odorless, a male of the same species can still detect it. Sasuke, chase after Gaara. You haven't completed your match against him yet. I'll fight this one, especially since I was supposed to be his opponent in the first place."

"You sound pretty confident, but are you sure about this?"

"I don't need your concern. Give me ten minutes and I'll come help you." Sasuke smirks and says,

"I'll be done by then, too." _Oh, sure he will. What a pompous ass._ Sasuke takes off and I follow right behind him. He doesn't seem to notice my presence, because he starts planning attack patterns that only involve him. Temari may pose a bit of a problem, for her long-range wind attacks may make it difficult to get in close and strike a blow on the injured Gaara, but between the two of us, we can incapacitate her which will leave Gaara unguarded…It doesn't take us long to catch up with them, for Temari stopped and set Gaara down. When Sasuke touches down, Gaara seems to feel his presence for he turns to her and says,

"Temari, get away from here…"

"Huh?" she asks, confused and unwilling to leave him, but Gaara gets to his feet and knocks her away with a crushing blow, demanding,

"Just hurry up and get out of here! You're in the way!" She's sent flying and slams into a tree, where she remains. Well…that was certainly a help on our end. Gaara eyes Sasuke, his blue orbs completely cold and focused, filled with a hatred I've never seen in another person's eyes. This isn't just about winning the match anymore…it's become personal. How, I have no idea, seeing as the two haven't even known one another for very long, but for Gaara to be so eager for this means it must go deeper than simply advancing in rank. Sasuke stands there for a moment in silence, catching his breath, then says,

"I don't know what you Sand guys are plotting, but you, I'm going to stop!" He hesitates a moment, then says, "Besides…I want to see what you really are…" What he really is? Is this not…what Gaara truly looks like? I look back at the redhead, only to find that there are deep, cobalt marks branching out over the right side of his face. Gaara takes a deep, shuddering breath, gripping his head against the pain of his migraine, then says,

"You who are strong…who are called Uchiha…who have friends…and a purpose…just like me…By killing you, I'll erase all of that, and then I will truly exist…And I can feel alive!" I feel myself shudder at his words, terrified by his twisted point of view. The blue veins are spreading across his body and have reached his arms, and his eyes are wider and more maniacal than I've ever seen them. He suddenly falls to his knees, gripping his head as it pounds. His right arm begins to swell, distorting and growing sharper. Gaara screams in pain as the transformation overtakes the entire right half of his torso, stretching and remolding the muscles of his arm, chest, and face.

At last, he turns to Sasuke, though half of him doesn't even resemble his prior form. His arm is four times its size before, with massive claws with the coloration of hardened sand, the blue veins bold against the tan. The right side of Gaara's face is also jagged, and even from my distance I spot a pointed, animal-like ear on top of his head. Sasuke's eyes widen at the sight of Gaara's new form, and Temari's anxiety shoots up. From what I can tell, she's seen Gaara this way before. For a moment, Sasuke's paralyzed in fear, but as Gaara crouches and launches himself at him, he reacts, jumping back and out of the way of the blow. The strength of the blow sends dirt and bits of wood flying, enshrouding both fighters and blocking them from view though I'm able to sense where they are through their mental signatures. The dirt dies down and Gaara bellows,

"Do you fear me, Uchiha Sasuke? Do you fear my existence?" Sasuke's hiding behind a tree not too far from where he'd been standing, gripping a wound on his shoulder. He doesn't respond to Gaara's mocking calls, so Gaara keeps on. "Well, what's the matter? Are you afraid of me? Have both your hatred and your intent to kill wavered because of your fear? Is this the pitiful extent of your existence? If you want an answer, COME ON!" Sasuke gets to his feet, his resolve strengthened. He makes a set of handseals and I feel the crackling sensation ignite in his palm; he's going to use Chidori again. Sasuke steps into the open and when Gaara sets his eyes on him, he leaps. Sasuke does the same, the two of them heading for a collision. They clash, Sasuke's Chidori tearing through Gaara's massive limb. The redhead screams in pain, hitting the tree branch Sasuke had just occupied and falling forward. Sasuke turns to look at Gaara over his shoulder, and to his surprise and mine, he starts laughing. Gaara's laughter is hysteric, the sound of his voice chilling. "Ah-ha-ha! I see! So that's what that was!" From below me I hear Temari say,

"No way…Sasuke was able to match and counter Gaara's enhanced state attack?" I smirk; at least Sasuke's able to do something right.

"I just realized…why I'm enjoying myself so!" Gaara continues, clutching his wounded arm. "This pain…if I can defeat one strong enough to wound me, rob him of all that he is, I'll feel more alive than ever!" Sasuke smirks, though I can feel anxiety rise in his chest. I watch as Gaara's arm heals itself, and something else begins to take shape behind him. "Ha-ha-ha, more! I want more!" How much is Gaara able to take? Is there a limit to his regenerative powers? I leap down from my perch and land next to Temari. She spins to look at me and her eyes widen.

"You!"

"Yes, me. Temari, how do we stop him?"

"S-stop him?" she asks, seemingly confused by my question.

"Yes, stop him – stop Gaara. He has to have some weakness, what is it?" She shakes her head and my tone becomes harsher. "Damn it, Temari, if he keeps on, he'll probably kill all three of us! Tell me how to stop him!" Paling a little, she says,

"Y-you don't understand. I'm not telling you not because I _won't_ – I'm not because I _can't_. There's _isn't_ a way to stop him." I gape at her for a moment, then say,

"Th-there has to be some way! Even if there's not a physical way, are there any things in his past that we could bring up to slow him down? Something he's sensitive about? Something he cares about that we could threaten? We have to stop him now, because he's getting worse by the second!"

"N-no, there's nothing! He doesn't care about anyone – I'm his sister, and he doesn't even consider us to be related. His childhood was…dark, and cruel, and unfair, but bringing it up would only cause him to get angry and complete the transformation faster!" I look up at Sasuke, who's attached to the bottom of the branch by his feet. Even from this distance I can make out what's running through Sasuke's head,

'_I can't even dodge him without taking time to predict his moves. Without the Sharingan, I'd already be dead…but since I already used it once in the match and again just now, I can't use the Chidori anymore…'_ He makes a quick handseal as Gaara comes closer and exhales a stream of fire. This, however, has no effect on Gaara, who just blows through it as if it had been a warm breeze. This is bad…everyone has a weakness, I know that, but…no one seems to know Gaara's. Gaara's massive arm shatters the branch Sasuke's clinging to, sending him backwards. He slams into a tree, leaving a crater in the wood. For a moment, it looks like he's unconscious because he doesn't get on his feet, then Gaara taunts,

"Is this all your existence is worth? Let me tell you…you're weak! Because you're naive, and your hatred is not strong enough! The strength of one's hatred is the strength of one's will to kill, and the strength of one's will to kill is the strength of vengeance! Your hatred will never match mine!" Softly, Sasuke says,

"Shut up."

"Do you understand me?" Gaara bellows. Sasuke gets to his feet and I shout,

"Sasuke, don't do anything stupid!" He hadn't realized I'm here and his eyes dart to me for a split second, then blue sparks erupt in his hand again. _Wait, didn't he just say his limit is two? What the hell is he doing?_ "Sasuke, NO!" I scream, getting to my feet. Then Gaara roars,

"It means you are WEAKER!" He jumps from the branch, heading for Sasuke, and Sasuke matches him, launching himself into the air. His keirakukei gives a throb as his chakra's depleted and the Chidori begins to fizzle away, Sasuke's eyes shutting against the pain. _That ass…he's going to kill himself…!_ They clash and blood sprays from one of them; which, I can't tell. They touch down on opposite branches once again and my eyes go to Gaara. He's still standing, but as I watch his arm seems to drop off his body, hanging on by only a few thin strands. Then my eyes dart to Sasuke… Though I can't see his face, I can see his left arm, and to my horror his pale skin is speckled in black marks. _Oh Gods…_ I leap from branch to branch, my heart racing. Sure enough, I feel the throb from his left shoulder and Sasuke slumps to the floor, grabbing it, and his entire body goes limp. _That ass!_ I reach his side and he groans.

"T-Tami…" Gaara leaps into the air once again, his arm already fully recovered, and I slide my hands under Sasuke, heaving him up and throwing his arm over my shoulder. However, just as I circulate my chakra to my feet in order to get us out of the way, I feel the presence of someone right above me. Naruto leaps over our heads and slams his foot into Gaara's face, sending him backwards. I sigh in relief and Sakura touches down right beside us, along with a small, brown dog in a Konoha headband.

"Sasuke!" she shrieks. She places her hand on Sasuke's back and I lower him back down to ease the strain his body's under. "And Kakashi-Sensei told me I didn't have to worry about the mark!"

"Normally, you wouldn't," I mutter, frowning.

"S…Sakura? Sakura!" Naruto says and she whips around, barking,

"What is it?" _Jeez, what a BITCH!_ Naruto turns back to us, a troubled expression on his face.

"Who's…that?" He's pointing at Gaara, and I don't blame him; the boy's barely recognizable now. Surprisingly, Sakura doesn't freak out or scream or anything, she just _glares_ at him. The little dog is the one to answer Naruto's question.

"His appearance may have changed, but it's that Sand fellow, Gaara!" Naruto appears to flinch, his mind going back to something Gaara said to him in the hospital; about how the Kazekage had implanted the spirit of Shukaku inside of him as a fetus, and he'd been born a monster, killing his mother in the process. Sad, how that's one of the ways in which Gaara and I are alike. I know he feels guilt over it – or at least did at one point in time, as do I. From behind me, I hear the little dog say, "I'm not a battle type ninja dog, so don't count on me!"

"I can see that!" Sakura snaps. Oh for Heaven's sake – she's been here two minutes and she's already catching an attitude with everyone! Sasuke hacks blood onto the wood beneath him, but I can feel his will regaining strength as he tries to force the mark into dormancy. "Sasuke!" Naruto looks back at us, then out at Gaara, who's watching us with careful eyes.

"You're…one…I didn't get to kill!" Naruto's thoughts go back to their encounter at the hospital, and he recalls what Gaara said about how he views his life.

"_I would fight only for myself and love only myself. For as long as there are people out there for me to kill, I will not cease to exist."_ His words chill Naruto's blood, and the blonde turns back to us and says something that I would never expect to hear from him.

"L…Let's run! C'mon!" Our fearless, headstrong, impulsive Naruto wants us to run for it? I open my mouth to ask what has him so scared of Gaara, but I see motion behind him and refocus my gaze. Gaara's launched himself at us, his arm raised.

"Die, Uchiha Sasuke!" I leap to my feet, as does Sakura, and she dives in front of Sasuke.

"Sakura!" Naruto screams. But her posture is all wrong – her weapon's too low, her stance's too weak, he'll overcome her in an instant, not to mention the massive claws adorning his hand…! I dart forward and knock her out of the way, making handseals as quickly as I'm able to. _Zenshinfuzui no ju-!_ My breath catches in my throat as I feel something pierce my right side, shattering something within me in its wake. _Oh…sh-shit…_


	17. Chapter 17

_Haha, left you with a bit of a cliffhanger last time, huh? The places I'm stopping now are different from the ones on Quizilla, but I think some of them are better, I think. I love how much you can post on one update on this website! Quizilla always cut me off...Anywho, enough bashing the Quizilla machine. Disclaimer! (I'm going to remember, I swear...) I don't any aspect of the Naruto series as was created by Masashi Kishimoto. However, I do claim rights to whatever I've added to the story! Thanks so much for reading! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 17**

My eyes widen as I stare at Gaara, a stunned expression on his own face, then I slowly let my gaze drop. Though they'd almost all missed me, one of his claws is imbedded in my chest, right at the base of my ribcage. Already I can feel blood running down my side, soaking into my clothes and dripping from the ends of my shirt. _Now_ Sakura screams.

"TAMI!" Blood wells up in my throat and spills over my lips, so thick that I feel like I'm drowning in it. My three teammates are transfixed in horror, unable to move and unsure of what to do. Taking a deep breath, I spit out the blood in my mouth and return my gaze to Gaara's eyes. Our sudden contact has left his mind wide-open to me and I quickly absorb his many painful memories. All the things I've learned about from Naruto's mouth, I'm now seeing through Gaara's eyes. It may be a little late to try this card, but seeing as I don't see myself participating in this fight any further…

"You think…that you're al-lone…that n-no one…understands you…but N-Naruto, Sasuke, and I, we…know better than…anyone…My mother…died giving b-birth to me, as w-w-well…N-Naruto never knew h-his parents…and S-S-Sasuke lost his at ten…" I'm forced to stop as another wave of blood surges up my esophagus, gagging me until I turn and spit it out. I slump forward, resting my hand against Gaara's arm to keep me from completely sinking over. The pain has started to catch up with me, but since my adrenaline is still so high it's helping keep it at bay. Drawing a ragged breath, I continue. "A-and Naruto…knows what it's l-like…to be shunned…I kn-know what it's like…to be hated…for something…beyond your control…" My eyelids are beginning to droop, and my arm trembles under the strain of keeping me upright, but I force myself to keep going. I can feel the pain and remorse growing in him as my words prod at the dark memories of his past. "But what…sets us…ap-part from you…is our ability…to move on…s-see the…upside…of th-things…Y-you have…the power…to stop what…you're doing…and find…s-s-something else…worth…living for…"

His blue eyes are wide and frantic, stuck to my face and searching for something to betray a lie or trick, but there isn't one. At first it looks as if he's going to back down, swayed by my words, but his remorse suddenly turns to anger and a howl of rage erupts from his throat. He digs his claw deeper into my side, drawing a stifled scream from me, and I sink to my knees. Grasping at my side, I find Sasuke's hand and hold onto it, making handseals with my right. If it works the way it should, this is going to hurt…_Saikikku boei no jutsu – art of psychic defense!_ I place my right hand on Gaara's arm, completing the seal, and Gaara's blown back from us. This, of course, wrenches his claw from me and a spray of blood rushes from my lips, which drowns out my scream of pain. The motion also rocks my body forward, and I don't have the strength to stop myself from falling, right over the edge of the branch. Sakura screams again, and I hear Naruto shout,

"TAMI!" I shut my eyes, waiting for my world to go black. I wonder which will kill me first – the fall or the hole in my chest? Shutting my eyes, I decide on a painless death rather than the slow one I might endure if I land in something soft, so I fold my hands together once again. _Shunmin shi no jutsu – art of the deathly sleep._ Almost instantaneously, I sink into a near-death state, my heart rate slowing to next to nothing and my brain slipping into a vast black abyss.

Naruto's P.O.V.

I watch her fall over the edge and scream her name. My legs, moving on their own, launch me over the edge as well and I plummet after her. She makes a handseal, but nothing appears to happen and she keeps falling. Thankfully, I reach her and seize her around her waist. For a second I worry that she'll scream, but she doesn't; she doesn't move at all to suggest that she knows I caught her. Looking around, I spot a branch right below us and when I hit it I gently hook Tami behind her knees and cradle her to help lessen the strain on her wound. I look down at her face; she's so pale now, her lips almost white.

"T-Tami?" I murmur, but she doesn't stir. A lump rises in my throat. _Please don't be dead…Tami, you can't die on us…_ But she doesn't even respond to my thoughts. I quickly shoot back up to the others, Tami lying limply in my arms. The fronts of my clothes are smeared with blood, but the flow doesn't seem to be as heavy as it was when he first stabbed her. _Probably because she doesn't have much left to lose_, I think miserably. I make it up to them and they all turn to me.

"N-Naruto," Sakura breathes, pale with tears glistening in her eyes. Pakkun gives me an uneasy look, the kind people give you when they're expecting bad news, and Sasuke…He's still lying on his stomach, unable to get up, but I've never seen him look so terrified. His dark eyes dart between my face and the lifeless girl lying in my arms, and I can't even make out all the emotions playing across his face. "Oh…oh no…i-is she…?"

"I don't kn-know," I stutter. "I d-d-didn't ch-check." Sakura crosses over to me quickly.

"Set her down," she says and I do so as gently as possible. She puts two fingers to Tami's neck, searching for a pulse, and her bangs are keeping me from getting a good read on her expression. She moves her fingers, placing them a little further down, and this makes me swallow hard. She isn't finding one. After a moment more, she looks up at me and I almost die from the suspense. "She's not dead…yet." Her green eyes dart to Tami's wound and she says, sounding confused, "She's stopped bleeding."

"I figured it was because she's lost it all," I reply.

"No, it…" She pulls back part of Tami's shirt and gets a better look at it. "It's like it…Her blood's stagnated, like she's dead, but I can feel her pulse, so she can't be dead. I don't…I don't get it."

"But she's alright?" I ask, feeling a little bit of hope.

"Hardly," Sakura says, her eyebrows furrowing. "She can't stay this way forever, and if she used a jutsu to do this, I don't know how long it'll last." I nod, then say,

"But she's _alive_?"

"Yes, she's alive," she repeats, sighing. For a split second, I'm relieved, then I hear a roar tear through the trees and one second Sakura's right in front of me, the next all I see is a sand-colored arm. Sakura cries out as Gaara pushes her through the air, finally slamming her into the trunk of a tree.

"Sakura!" I scream, but she doesn't answer me, the force having knocked her unconscious. Gaara hits the branch Sasuke's on, but he's suddenly forced back, like he stepped on a letter bomb or something. Gaara's pulled apart from Sakura, but some of the sand remains and keeps her held to the tree. What caused Gaara to fly back like that? Then I remember how he'd done the same when Tami had used that jutsu earlier, grabbing Sasuke's hand then touching Gaara's arm. She must have put some kind of protection around Sasuke to keep Gaara from being able to touch him. I leap to Sasuke's side, wrap his arm around my neck, then jump back, setting him down near Sakura.

"Tami…" he breathes, looking exhausted. "Get…Tami…" I nod and hurry back over to her. When I reach her side, I hesitate, still so sickened by how…_dead_ she looks, but I overcome the feeling, scoop her up, and carry her back to my other teammates. I set her down next to Sasuke and he looks a little more relieved to have her near him. Behind me, Gaara taunts,

"What's the matter? I thought you were going to run away?" I turn back to look at him, and Gaara snarls, "Who are they to you?" My eyes dart to them, my three wounded comrades, and I shout,

"Th-they're my friends! If you try to touch them again, I'll slaughter you!" Gaara raises his normal arm, palm out like he's reaching for something, then as he starts to close it Sakura cries out. I realize that he's squeezing the sand holding her to the tree. I grit my teeth in anger and Gaara jeers,

"Well? What's the matter? I thought you were going to slaughter me. Come on, then." Getting to my feet, I take a running start at him. However, I don't get very far before he swings his arm and knocks me to the side with ease. I hit the tree and sit upright, looking at Gaara. He's so strong…I don't think I'll be able to match his strength…But I've got to protect my friends. I can't just let Gaara do what he wants to them. Getting to my feet, I suddenly remember the summoning jutsu Jiraiya taught me. Yeah, maybe that'll work! I nip my thumb, then fold my hands together in the right seals. _Kuchiyose! Summoning!_ A puff of smoke signals the completion of the jutsu, but as the cloud vanishes I see that it's not the huge toad, but a little one.

"What the-? You're just a brat! If you want my help, give me some munchies! Or else I won't play with you!" At first I'm stunned, then I get irritated. _Are you kidding me?_

"You know, I really, really _hate_ frogs!"

"What? Don't you dare mock amphibians!"

"Argh, this isn't the time to be playing around, Mini-Wart!" I snap, turning my gaze back to Gaara. What was all that training for if I can't even use the technique when I need it most?

"Friend? What a laugh…" Gaara growls. "I fight only for myself!" I swallow hard and watch as Gaara transforms again, the sandy color overtaking more of his body so that the only part of him that I can see is his feet. He gives me a twisted grin and says,

"Unless you take me down, the sand around that girl won't dissolve. In fact, it will slowly constrict, eventually smothering and crushing her!" I feel myself choke. "Not only that, but unless you defeat me, I won't allow you to leave, meaning that no one will be able to get the other girl to a hospital, and she will die as well." He digs his hands into his own body, then throws something toward me. I pick up the Mini Toad, cradling him to my chest and protecting him as the bits of sand hit me. They feel like shuriken cutting through my skin, and my back finally hits a tree. I sink to the ground and set the toad on the ground, keeping my hand over him.

"You're weak!" the toad accuses and I say,

"Shut up!" He suddenly looks up and catches sight of Gaara.

"But what in the world is THAT thing?" I look up, too, staring at Gaara's new form. But even like this, I can see the loneliness in his eyes…just like how I used to be. I used to be like him…alone, angry, hating everyone around me. But then people began to show me kindness…began to see more to me than just the demon fox…began to expect great things from me…And it changed the way I saw life, like Tami said when she spoke to Gaara. Sakura groans in pain and it brings me back to reality. The sand's constricting…

"Well? What's the matter? If you don't fight me, I'll kill that girl!" Gaara demands. My eyes dart to my friends one more time, then I take a running start for Gaara. I cross my fingers and use the Kagebushin no jutsu, but just as I get close he exhales a fierce gust of air that kills them off. I'm blown back, too, and hit the tree. My back is beginning to feel sore from being knocked around so much, but I get to my feet. I've got to keep on…for my friends…for my village…He throws more of those sand shuriken at me, knocking me right back down, but I stagger once again to my feet. "More, more!" he screams. Again and again, I take the blows he throws at me and slam repeatedly into the trees.

But each time it seems to strengthen the feeling welling up in me. Maybe it's because of what he did to Tami…or to Sakura…for whatever reason, I don't want to lose to Gaara, even if I end up dying in the process. "What's the matter? You're the one that hunted me down. Scared? You can't even come close to touching me! What a joke." I grind my teeth together, having heard those words a million times before. I pull out a kunai knife and a letter bomb from my pocket, wrapping the bomb around the hilt of the knife._ Here I go._

Tami's P.O.V.

Through the thick darkness, I can feel something squirming in the back of my mind. I recognize the sensation; it's the feeling of presence – there are people around me, and for the first time in what seems like forever I can actually feel them. So many…what's going on? My body feels like it's buried in concrete, I can't move an inch…

'…_Serious injury…' '…Can't heal…'_

_'…For days…' '…Blood lost during…'_

_'…Hasn't even moved…'_

The snippets rise out of the darkness like whispers, and though I'm relieved that I'm not alone in this horribly empty space, the voices are also irritating. Why won't they stop? I can't sleep with them talking so much…and I want…to sleep…I feel something touch me, or at least I think I do. Is it real? Or am I still dreaming? It frustrates me that I can't tell; reality or fantasy, I want to be one place or the other, not caught somewhere in-between. The voices are growing louder now, fading in and out of clarity…

'_Please…up. I hate…you this way.' 'Why does…ways butt in?'_

_'This is…bad, so…'_

They won't stop – won't let me fall back asleep. Who are they talking about, anyway? I can't remember what happened. I don't even know where I am, for that matter… Ugh, why am I not thinking straight? My brain's being irritatingly and uncharacteristically slow, like it was dropped in molasses or something. How long has it been since I had a coherent thought? It's felt like only a few minutes, but my body says otherwise…Suddenly, I become aware that my hearing has begun to return, for broken bits of the conversation near me float into my awareness.

"…Needs rest, so you should…"

"Ha! ...Likely excuse…"

"…Would you know? You…"

"I was actually…so don't…"

"…there, and…happened!"

"She's not your…!"

"But…_my __teammate_!"

Reigning in all my concentration (thank goodness for my training), I circulate my chakra to my brain, stimulating it into activity and at last my senses return fully. I pry my eyes open, ignoring the urge to shut them against the midday sunlight, and shoot upright.

"Gods, would you sh-?" I freeze, my jaw clenching and my eyes widening, as blinding, searing, excruciating pain rips through my right side.

I don't even realize that I'm screaming until someone's trying to hush and placate me, their hands on my cheeks, but even then I can't stop. Oh Gods, it hurts so badly…My body is trying to collapse itself, ease the pain and defend the injury, but two sets of hands are fighting to keep me on my back. The strain of the fight is also tightening my muscles, doubling the pain. Over my screams, I hear three voices from above me. When I'd opened my eyes, I hadn't even noticed who was in the room with me, and when the pain had struck I'd shut them again.

"Don't let her move!"

"Oh…jeez, look at all that…"

"Get the doctor – she ripped open her stitches."

"I'll go." Someone races from the room, and one of the two remaining people takes over for him as chief cheer-upper, gently cooing,

"Hold on, Tami, just hold on…Shikamaru went to get the doctor…"

"Tami, you've got to hold still," the other says.

"No, please," I beg, my voice weak from my screaming. "Please, no…it h-hurts…"

"I know, I know, but it'll only be worse if you curl up…Shh, relax…" he coaxes.

"Make it stop, please," I plead, the pain consuming my entire torso (not to mention the ache of my wrists and ankles from fighting my restrainers). "Please, please, please, make it stop…"

"S—Sasuke-!"

"Shut up, Naruto, I know. I know it hurts, Tami, just breathe." I try to suck in my usual, deep, relaxing breath, but the expansion of my rib cage sends another wave of pain scorching through my body and rips another shriek from my lips. "Not so deep, but keep trying. Come on." He's trying to keep me distracted…keep my attention off my pain…

"She's in he-! Oh…" Shikamaru's voice dies and I can feel the sick, sinking sensation in his gut. Sasuke's hands are the ones holding my wrists, so I look into his mind. Holy shit…The entire right side of my body is caked in blood already; I haven't even felt it until now. The hot, thick crimson is sticking my shirt to me and to the sheets, which have also been stained a rich red. The blood loss is beginning to make my head spin and I'm lying flat on my back, despite the pain, because I'm too weak to continue fighting. Someone walks to my side and says,

"Good…shh…sleep, Tami-chan…this'll help put you right back to sleep…Just relax, sweetheart…" _Sweetheart?_ I feel a pinch on my left arm, and I open my mouth.

"I'm nobody's…sss…" I fall limp into the mattress as the drugs quickly overcome me and I black out.

Sasuke's P.O.V.

Tami's head falls to the side, her body falling limp as she sinks into blissful unconsciousness. I pull my hands from her wrists as Naruto releases her ankles. Her screaming is branded into my mind, the only thing I can hear right now. She was in so much pain…pain that could have been avoided had I just…

"I think it's time you gentlemen left," the nurse says softly, placing a hand on my arm and guiding us from the room, though my eyes stay locked on Tami's form the entire time. "Go home and rest, boys. She'll be unconscious for at least a few hours, and the doctors have to repair her stitches." She gives us a small smile. "You three have been here almost constantly for three days. I'm sure she can go a few hours by herself." We nod slowly, still in shock from seeing her like that…covered in blood, screaming…She walks back into Tami's room and shuts the door behind her, leaving us alone in the hallway. We stand in silence for a long minute, then I hear Naruto exhale slowly.

"Are you guys as freaked out as me right now?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru mumbles meekly, paler than I've ever seen him. "That was…terrifying. I've never…never seen a girl…_scream_ like that." The thought sends a shudder down my spine.

"G-guys…?" We turn to Naruto, who's standing between us, and he says, "Wh…what if she doesn't…what if the doctors can't…help her?"

"Don't be stupid," I reply, forcing my voice to remain level. His blue eyes dart to meet mine. "The last thing to come out of her mouth before she passed out was going to be 'I'm nobody's sweetheart'. She has the strength to argue, so she has the strength to survive. There's no reason to freak out." Slowly, a smile stretches across his face, a weak one, and he whispers,

"Yeah…okay." If only I could believe the same thing…

"I've got to say…that girl's even stronger than I previously gave her credit for," Shikamaru says, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"How so?" Naruto asks. Shikamaru smiles toward the door to Tami's room, setting my blood on fire.

"Even though she was in all that pain, I didn't see a single tear run down her face. Any other girl would have been sobbing, but _her_…" His voice trails off in an almost loving way and it makes me itch to punch him. Since when is Shikamaru such a fan of her? He's been around her almost as much as I have over the past few days, and it's becoming quite irksome…especially when he feels the need to fight with _me_ over it… I turn on my heel and walk off, not stopping when Naruto calls for me. I should follow the nurse's recommendation and go home for a little while. I've spent so much time in this hospital over the past two months – more than I have over the first twelve years of my _life_. I walk home without really seeing or hearing anything, my mind just blank. Heh, if Tami were next to me she'd probably be complaining about having nothing to listen to…But if she were next to me, I wouldn't feel so numb in the first place. It's impossible for me to feel numb when she's with me. Angry or cocky or frustrated or happy or furious, yeah, but never numb. It's almost as if she can instill emotion in other people as well as feel it.

I get home, unlock the door, and walk in, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it. What's happening to me? Three months ago, I was Uchiha Un-freaking-touchable Sasuke. Nothing could get under my skin, no one could make me laugh, and I was a complete loner. But now…I'd actually fought over a girl today. A GIRL! _But_, my conscience taunts, _she's not like other girls, now is she?_ No, like everyone including herself is so willing to point out, she's not. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm shifting, and I don't know if the change is welcome or not. I stalk over to the couch and fall onto it. The muscles in my back and neck are tight with stress, and the slight pain serves as a constant reminder that she's lying there in the hospital. I yawn, raising a hand to cover my mouth, and I realize that my index and middle fingers are stuck together. I open my eyes and they widen when I see the dark, crusty crimson substance gluing them together. How had I not noticed? My hands were covered in her blood while I was holding her down.

Seeing her blood sets off a new wave of panic, so I shoot off the couch and race into the kitchen, flipping on the water and scrubbing at my hands, which is made difficult because they won't stop shaking. Gods, this is pathetic! I slump against the counter, my head sinking forward as I sigh. _Pathetic._ _Absolutely…pathetic._ I'm freaking out…because of a girl. I'm going crazy with worry…because of a girl. I take a deep breath and finish washing my hands, picking the dried flecks of blood from my hands and getting it out from underneath my nails. I finally shut the water off and dry my hands, walking back into the living room and lying back down. Sleep. I need to get some sleep, before I _really_ lose my mind. Taking a few calming breaths, I manage to sink into a light, uneasy doze.

Days pass, each one similar to the others. Tami's sleep has been sporadically punctured by screaming spells whenever the morphine wears off, but once she's given a new dosage, she sinks back into blissful unconsciousness. During these past few days, Shikamaru, Naruto, and I have hardly left her side. At least one of us watches her at all times, until night falls. The only time that none of us was there was when we attended the funeral of our Lord Hokage, whose life was taken in the battle against Orochimaru (after which the three of us rushed back to the hospital). Now that it seems that she's stabilized, at least in part, it's becoming a little easier for us to sleep at night, though visiting hours start at seven in the morning and end at nine at night, leaving only ten hours in-between for other necessities.

Not only that, but I've been spending half my nights in a tree outside Tami's window, just to be sure that she's alright. One of my greatest fears is that she'll die overnight, and I wouldn't be there to help her if she needed me. Thankfully, no such occasion has come to pass – not even close – so the most I've gotten out of this night-watch has been watching her sleep. But this alone has brought me comfort. It's almost as if sleeping makes her look healthier; perhaps this is because when she's awake, she's in constant pain and she usually bleeds to some extent.

On the fifth day of watching her, I'm sitting alone next to her bedside. Ino and Choji refused to let Shikamaru come and see her today, calling him obsessed and paranoid. Naruto was here for a little while, but I managed to convince him to return home for more sleep. So it's just me and Tami. This brings to mind the situation a month ago, when the curse mark reduced me to being bedridden and she stayed with me. She'd guarded my unconscious form from Kabuto when he'd tried to off me, and I know she wouldn't have run had it been anyone else, even Orochimaru himself. My eyes are starting to feel heavy, but I fight to stay awake. Heaven forbid I fall asleep and she ends up needing me… For the millionth time within the past eight days, I remind myself that she almost _died_ for me. It's the second time she's saved my life, and this time…Death nearly took her in my place. If I hadn't been so reckless, maybe chosen different times to use the Chidori instead of wasting my two, then this wouldn't have happened. But my curse mark had been unleashed, rendering me useless, and… My eyes dart to her motionless form, sleeping soundly right next to me. What can I possibly say or do to compensate for this? If I had been in trouble with her before…she's going to heal and then KILL me. _But_, I realize with grief, _the healing part may take quite a long time_. The doctors have made it very clear to us that had the blow been anywhere else, or had it taken any longer to get her home, she would've died.

_But_, my conscience suddenly chirps,_ is that the only reason you only leave her side for a maximum of five hours at a time?_ I rub my temple irritably. As if having a telepath constantly reading my thoughts isn't bad enough, but in her absence my own mind seems to be filling in the silences. It's not nearly as annoying as _her_ probing my brain, however, because I can deny anything to myself – she would force me to face it. …It's still annoying as hell, though.

A soft whimper snaps me out of my reverie and I spring out of my chair, going right next to her. Her face is contorted in pain, and a thin sheen of sweat has broken out over her forehead. How is she in pain again? The doctor just gave her morphine not even thirty minutes ago. But her hands are winding themselves into her sheets and her breathing has become harder, but shallow. I put the back of my hand to her forehead; her skin is practically aflame, she's got such a terrible fever. Another whine parts her lips and she starts to twist in her sleep, so I quickly put my hands on her shoulders in an attempt to stop her.

"Tami, wake up," I coax. But she doesn't wake. Her tossing is getting worse and at this rate she'll reopen her stitches. The blood transfusion they gave her following her episode five days ago is still being accepted into her bloodstream, and she can't afford to lose any more now. Taking a risk, I release her and, using my newfound speed, bolt for the door. Wrenching it open, I look down the hall. Thankfully, there's a nurse standing not too far away. "Nurse!" She looks up at me, and I suppose my face says it all because she races into the room. She hurries over to Tami's bedside and places her hand to Tami's forehead.

"Sasuke, go find a doctor for me, please," she says, her tone grave as she digs into one of her pockets. I dart out the door and down the hall, ending in the larger reception-looking room at the end of it. Tami's usual doctor is standing there and I call,

"Doctor Yakamura!" He turns to me, sees the expression on my face, and strides over to me quickly, following me back down the hall to her room. Her cries of pain have gotten louder, her voice breaking every now and then from the screaming sessions that have punctuated her sleep for five days. The doctor rushes past me and I watch helplessly from right outside the door as they bustle over her pale figure. The nurse hands him a syringe of clear liquid – I assume it's morphine – and he takes her arm in his hand, twisting it so he can inject it into her vein. After a moment, she quiets down and falls back into a sound sleep. I release a breath I hadn't noticed I'd been holding, relieved that she's at peace again. The nurse throws a glance up at Doctor Yakamura, spotting the grave expression on his face. She says something to him that's too quiet for me to hear, to which he replies with a curt nod, and she crosses the room to me.

"Sasuke, sweetheart, we're going to change her dressings now and give her a quick physical. Would you mind going down the hall and waiting there until we finish?" Her voice is sweet and…sympathetic. Normally such a tone would make me cringe, because I can't stand sympathy almost as much as unwanted attention, but instead of disgust, all I can feel is fear._ There's something wrong._ Naruto's words from earlier come back to haunt me,

'_What if the doctors can't…help her?'_ No…they must be able to do something. She can't…she can't die on us…I open my mouth to reply, but it feels as if someone dried it with a rag, so I swallow and try again.

"Um…y-yes, sure…" I slowly make my way down the hall, the entire walk feeling like a haze. My thoughts begin to worsen, which does nothing to help ease my anxiety. What if…she did die? It'd be my fault. She was injured protecting me when I fell under the power of the curse mark, so if the wound kills her, I'll be the one to blame. If she dies…an extraordinary talent will also die with her. Her prowess with her powers is, I know, incredible, especially considering her age and the fact that she spent two years teaching herself. And she has still so much potential…This isn't even including her physical strength and the sharpness of her mind on its own. She's so much stronger than others girls I know; she's the only one I consider to be truly worthy of the title of shinobi. I sink into one of the empty chairs and stare into nothingness, my mind still tossing.

This entire situation also forces something else to the forefront of my mind; something that I wish I didn't have to think about, simply because I hate having to admit it…Kabuto's accusation from before. About how…Tami's the one that means the most to me, that she's the one that holds the most sway over my changing attitudes, that she's the one I would do the most to protect. He's…he's right. It's hard for me to come to terms with feeling this way about _anyone_, but I know better than to deny it. It's not like she can refute feeling this way about me, either, because I know that despite the cool, cocky front she puts up to negate such an allegation, I mean a great deal to her. She wouldn't have done half the things for me that she has if she didn't feel that way: trying to help us pass the survival exercise with Kakashi, helping me ace the tree-climbing exercise, giving me chakra to revive me when I was an inch from death by Haku's hand, having my back one-hundred percent in the Forest of Death (even if she didn't trust me)…

"Sasuke?" I'm torn from my train of thought when Naruto's voice reaches my ears and I look up at him. He's standing there, Shikamaru at his side. My eyes narrow slightly at the brunette; back _again_, is he? Naruto I can understand – Tami's his teammate, and the only one that's openly nice to him. But Shikamaru…Though I don't understand why he's become so attached to her, I remind myself that he IS on Ino's team… "Why're you sitting out here? Is Tami okay?"

"She…I don't think the morphine is working anymore," I reply, feeling my throat tighten in panic just from saying it out loud. "They gave her a dose of it about forty-five minutes ago, and it wore off. She started tossing in her sleep, moaning in pain. The doctor…he had a look on his face that told me that something was wrong. What, I'm not sure yet. They told me they're going to redo her dressings, then give her a physical. I imagine they'll tell us what's wrong after they figure out it." They nod, taking the two seats to my left. We fall into an uneasy, tense silence, anticipating the doctor's return. After thirty minutes, he enters the room and the three of us spring up from our seats.

"Well, doc? What's up?" Naruto asks, his voice weaker than usual. Doctor Yakamura sighs and rubs one of his temples.

"I'm afraid things have…taken a downward turn for Miss Sohma." This causes my heart to plummet.

"How seriously?" I ask.

"You see, the blow caused the lowest three ribs on her right side to shatter. Usually, this would be an easy fix, but the problem is…since the blow was a through-and-though, we're having a little trouble finding all the shattered pieces. Once we did, we could mend them back together and her recovery could move along more smoothly. However, we have a new problem." He takes a slow, deep breath. "There's an infection. This does nothing to help matters, since it's dividing her white blood cells between assimilating the blood transfusions and fighting off the bacteria, so the infection is able to spread more quickly than if she didn't have the blood to worry about. Once we heal the wound, it'll be easier to administer effective medicines to fight the illness off. However, we can't heal the wound until we mend her ribs, and we can't mend her ribs until we find the pieces. Not only that, but with her infection she's developed a soaring fever, which burns through the morphine too quickly for us to keep her under for very long. I've set up a morphine IV to provide her with a constant supply, but I don't know if it would subdue her enough for surgery." We stand there, completely silent, for what feels like an eternity…just processing what he's saying to us.

"S…so what you're saying is…unless we can come up with something other than morphine to keep her unconscious long enough for you to open her up and find the bits of her ribcage, there's…there's nothing we can do to save her?" Shikamaru asks. The doctor sighs.

"I'm afraid so, boys." Everything around us seems to slow as the gravity of his words hits us. I open my mouth to speak, but again I can't form the words so I shut them. My throat's too tight, seized up in panic, for me to say anything. I swallow a few times, then try again.

"H-how much…time do we have? To find a solution?" He shrugs weakly, looking exhausted and extremely stressed.

"I have no idea. My best guess is a few days. Five at the most, at the rate the infection is taking hold, but we're doing all we can to keep it from spreading using sterilizers. We'll be in her room every hour to douse the area, but since the wound isn't closed, the disinfectant runs into the injury and usually triggers some kind of pained response." He takes a deep breath. "Boys…you three obviously care the most for her. You wouldn't be here every day, from sun-up to sundown, if you didn't. I hate giving you such terrible news, and if there's anything – _anything_ – that you can come up with that may help, we'll try it. But we don't have many medicines strong enough and using a jutsu to keep her under can be a dangerous, because we won't be able to tell if she has an adverse reaction to the surgery." He gently rests a hand on my shoulder, as I'm on the side of his dominant hand, and says, "You're free to visit. Let me know if there's any change." The other two are rendered incapable of any response, so I force a stiff nod and he walks off. We stand there, frozen, for a moment more, then I force myself to take a step in the direction of her room. Then another. Followed by yet another. The trek back down the hallway feels like it takes forever, though in reality it takes less than a minute. I cross the room to the chair I'd occupied nearly forty-five minutes ago and sink into it slowly. My mind still doesn't want to accept the horrible reality of the doctor's diagnosis. She's dying. My eyes rise to study her face, and I'm sickened by how pale she is. She looks even worse than she did before I left the room. Her chest rises and falls steadily, but every few inhales she shudders a little in exhaustion. The strain that's on her with the onset of the infection must be so intense… As if she didn't have enough to worry about. I hear footsteps enter the room behind me, so I turn. Shikamaru and Naruto stride over, treading across the floor quietly as if afraid they'd wake her.

"Sh…she's not looking so good," Naruto says, pointing out the obvious as he always does, especially when he's confused or terrified. Shikamaru just silently looks her over, his brown eyes clouded with concern. He reaches forward and gently takes her hand in his, instantly digging into my nerves.

"Her hands are freezing," he murmurs, then slides her arms beneath the sheets, drawing them higher over her. He then pulls one of the nearby chairs to him and sits down, remaining as close to her as possible. The rest of the day passes like that: the three of us sitting at her bedside, like we have for over a week, but with a colder, tenser silence between us. None of us want to accept what the doctor had said. We want to believe that she'll somehow pull through, that we'll come in tomorrow to find her awake, and she'll mock us for worrying, using every colorful word in the book, and I could go back to being irritated and much less worried. Naruto could go back to his moronic, happy-go-lucky self. And Shikamaru could go the hell _away_. But we all know this won't be the case. If anything, we'll come in tomorrow and find her in even worse condition than today. At five minutes until nine, one of the medics pokes his head in and says,

"Gentlemen, visiting hours are nearly over." We all nod and stand, placing the chairs in their proper places and throwing final glances at Tami's still unconscious figure one last time before leaving the room. We walk through town in silence for a while, then Naruto says,

"You guys want to get something to eat?" I shrug, not caring one way or another, so Shikamaru says,

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." I can tell from the looks on their faces and the tones of their voices that neither of them wants to be left alone with their thoughts; I don't want to, either. So we follow Naruto to Ichiraku (surprise, surprise) and take seats on either side of him. The man behind the counter walks over and says,

"Out a bit late tonight, boys. What'll it be?" We order in quiet voices, barely above murmurs, and he gets to work. He eyes our despondent expressions and says, "Gee, boys, are you still upset over the death of the Third?"

"No," Naruto answers. "I mean, yeah, but…that's not it."

"What is it, then?" the man asks. "I've never seen you look this down in the dumps, Naruto. And your friends are looking a little worse for the wear, too." For a moment, none of us speak, then Shikamaru answers,

"A friend of ours is in the hospital. And…we got some bad news today." The man's eyebrows knit together, frowning.

"I'm sorry to hear that, boys. Will he be okay?"

"It's not looking likely," I reply, my hands tightening into fists. "Her injury is pretty severe." The man nods, looking down at the green onions he was dicing.

"That's a shame. How was she injured?"

"Fighting Gaara, the sand genin with red hair from the Chunin exams," Naruto answers.

"I see. Was she one of the ninja sent after him when they tried to run for it?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru answers. "She ran off after Sasuke the second she saw him follow them." He's not saying this to blame me, but it brings a wave of nauseating guilt sweeping over me anyway. I'd been ordered to follow them, so I had, and I'd wanted to know what Gaara really was, but if I'd known what would happen…We lapse into silence, the only sounds being those made by the man as he cooked. I'm glad he stopped talking; it's getting hard to answer his questions. He pours us tea, setting a cup in front of each of us, and the warm liquid helps calm me. Fifteen more minutes, and he sets our food in front of us. Another customer sits down, so the man says,

"You boys let me know if you need anything else," before walking over and striking up conversation. We eat in silence for a few minutes, and I notice that even Naruto doesn't look as enthused about his ramen as he would on any other day. At last I say,

"You two know what needs to be done, don't you?" They look over at me, and Shikamaru nods slowly.

"Yeah…I know."

"Wh-what?" Naruto asks. I hesitate, taking a deep breath and steadying my nerves before I reply,

"We need to…to plan for when…if…she…" I can't bring myself to say it, and thankfully Naruto doesn't need me to. If there's any way he could look more crestfallen than he did a minute ago, the look that crosses his face as he understands is exactly it. He looks almost as devastated as I feel.

"No," he mutters, his voice weak. "I-I can't…I…no, I can't do it. I can't think about it. Not now, anyway. Maybe there's still a chance she'll…m-make it. If we start planning a funeral for her now-" A collective shudder rips through us and he says, "See? It's almost like she's already dead. I can't…I can't give up on her. She wouldn't lose faith in us. She probably would have cussed out the doctor if he told her one of us was on our deathbed." Shikamaru chuckles.

"Yeah, she'd probably say something like, 'You have no idea what you're talking about. That asshole isn't allowed to die'." Naruto and I snort with laughter. That's true. Tami wouldn't give up on us, and would use every colorful method possible to deny that we were ailing. But though this light humor between us is helping me forget, it doesn't erase the truth. We finish eating, then head off in our separate directions, and the farther I get from them, and the hospital, the worse I feel. A deep, gnawing worry grips me tighter with every step I take and I wonder if this is how Tami feels when she senses that something's wrong. I finally make it home and walk to my bedroom, pulling my shirt off and dropping it to the floor carelessly before sinking onto my bed. I sit there for a few minutes, then I lean forward, my elbows on my knees and my forehead resting lightly on my knuckles. The muscles in my shoulders are tense again; it feels like they're wound into tight knots. I'm exhausted, but my mind's far too active for sleep. I keep tossing solutions over in my head. There must be a way to get her to stay asleep while the medic nins perform surgery…something we just haven't thought of yet…something we have to come up with. My eyes dart to my bedside table at the small calendar I have sitting there. _Five days…Thursday. I have until Thursday to figure out what to do._ I lie down, staring up at my ceiling instead. No matter what…I'll think of something.

But three days pass, and not one of us can think of anything. The doctors have made a few suggestions, but it's all far too risky; the procedures would probably kill her before the infection could. So we've sat at her side for three days, staring helplessly as her face becomes more ashen, her breathing becomes weaker, and her screaming sessions become less and less frequent. She just doesn't have the strength to continue. But even through all this, I admire the hospital's care of her. Even as her health is failing, they check her every hour, wiping down the infected area, which has become a terrible sight, and giving her as many medicines as they deem are safe doses. They've promised us that as long as we keep fighting for her survival, they will as well. The fourth day is finally upon us, and as we walk down the hall to her room we see Dr. Yakamura leave. He turns to look at us and I notice the dark rings under his eyes. If there's one career I would never want to pursue, it's medicine. He looks nearly dead on his feet, and though he can't be older than forty, there's plenty of gray amidst his chocolate brown hair.

"Ah…good morning, boys." His voice is grave and hollow, the same tone he had four days ago when we found out about her worsened condition.

"Wh-what is it?" I ask, not wanting to beat around the bush. He sighs.

"My previous estimate of five days…was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration." I feel my breath catch in my throat for a second, nearly choking as I ask,

"Is…is she-?"

"She's alive, but…I doubt she'll make it another night. Her vitals are so low…she doesn't respond to any tests now, as if comatose. If you three have any ideas, any at all, now would be the time to tell me. At this point, even a risky operation may be better than none at all. After all, with her current status, she has a zero percent chance of living, anyway…" On any other day, we might have snapped at him, but even Naruto remains silent. We know he doesn't mean to be hurtful. The stress has worn him down, and Tami isn't his only patient. There were many, many shinobi injured in the attack two weeks ago, and Dr. Yakamura had several other patients under his care. We all shake our heads slowly, so he says, "Well, if anything comes to mind, just let me know." We nod and he walks past us. We file into Tami's room, taking our places around her bedside. He wasn't kidding – Tami's in terrible condition. It's hard to even tell that she's breathing, the rise and fall of her chest is so miniscule. The hours begin to drag by, and at noon Kakashi walks in.

"Hey guys," he says.

"Sensei," Naruto murmurs. Kakashi sighs, taking in Tami's unconscious form.

"I haven't seen either of you since the funeral. Every time I've checked your houses, neither of you have been home. Even Asuma said that Shikamaru hadn't been seen recently." All this he says with his eye on Tami. "No better, huh?"

"Worse," Naruto answers, his voice quiet. "The doctor…he says…"

"This may be the last day she lives through," Shikamaru finishes for him. Kakashi nods.

"The doctors have done all they can, I'm sure." They have. They've been trying so hard, but her life's still slipping right through our fingers. "Has anyone told her family?" My head snaps up, my eyes going a little wider. _Her family…?_

"B-but Sensei, Tami doesn't like her family," Naruto replies.

"They still should be made aware," Kakashi answers. "You never know, someone might actually care that she's in the hospital, if for no other reason than the fact that she _is_ a prodigy."

"We hadn't thought to tell them," Shikamaru answers. "So I guess we'll-" I spring up from my seat, my mind working so quickly, fitting the pieces together, that I can barely manage a singular, coherent thought.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asks, but I ignore him.

"I'm…an IDIOT," I finally say, then I race from the room, leaving the other three staring after me. I sprint out of the hospital and take to the roofs, avoiding the crowd. Why hadn't I thought of them before? What better shinobi to ask for help in safely subduing a person than a _psychic_? GENIUS! Her grandfather would be able to keep an eye on her vitals while the medic nin root through her and find the shattered bits of her ribs (at this thought I shudder), allowing them to mend her bones and put her on the road to recovery! I race across Konoha, wishing that the Sohma compound was closer to the hospital. Every second that's spent trying to reach them is one that she loses, every moment bringing her that much closer to death…I finally hit the outskirts of town and sprint across the grounds. Though my lungs burn with every inhale and my legs are throbbing in protest, I don't stop running (my adrenaline making it that much easier to resist collapsing). I run through a gap in the living quarters and stop, looking around. _Where would her grandfather be? Which is-?_

A set of hands suddenly pushes me to the ground, and before I can push myself back up someone sits on top of me, his legs on either side of my waist, keeping me pinned to the ground.

"Don't move," a cold voice commands.

"Don't," I growl, pushing against the ground to try and turn, which would make him slide off to one side. However, another set of hands grabs my wrists and pins them down as well.

"He ordered you not to move," a second voice says. "You're lucky you aren't dead."

"You're-making-a-mistake," I pant. I can barely breathe, after running all that way and having this hulking mass sitting on top of me. This wouldn't be a problem if I hadn't just run – no, _sprinted_ – nearly two and a half miles.

"You're the one who made the mistake, boy. What business do you have on this property? Surely you know the punishment we give trespassers," the first voice coolly remarks, pressing a kunai blade to my neck.

"Stupid…stupid…ASS," I retort hotly. "I-need…to-see…Lord-Sohma…"

"Want to make that 'ass' comment again?" he asks, jabbing my neck sharply with the knife. Aggravated at how much they've slowed my progress, I suck in the deepest breath I'm capable of and bellow,

"LORD SOHMA!" I groan in pain as a fist comes down on my back, hard, and the stranger hisses,

"Shut up, brat!"

"TAMI…NEEDS…HELP!" I manage to continue, then the man gets off of me. For a moment, I'm relieved, but then I'm flipped over and a hand latches onto my neck, restricting my already thin air flow. My vision is beginning to darken, but just as I truly begin to lose consciousness the hand pulls away. I draw in a deep breath, clearing my vision immensely. Sitting up, I see an older man staring across the lawn at an unconscious figure – the one who'd just been pinning me down. The second man is nearby, bowing deeply to him. The older man turns to me, his eyes the most vivid blue I've ever seen – the same shades as the flecks in Tami's eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke, yes?" the man asks. I nod, rubbing my throat. "Why are you here? Why does my granddaughter need help?"

"She's…injured…in the hospital…" I manage to say in an airy whisper. "She needs…surgery, but they…can't…put her under…" His white eyebrows furrow together.

"Can you move?" I nod, taking another deep breath before heaving myself to my feet. "Lead the way." I take off, him right at my heels. I'm too weak to run at full speed now, but I'm still faster than the ordinary person. Thankfully, he's having absolutely no problem keeping up, despite him being nearly sixty. We're halfway there when he says, "She was injured…in your defense?" For a moment, I'm stunned, then I feel like an idiot once again. _Psychic. Of course he knows now._

"Yes, she was," I reply softly.

"I see. I apologize for the way my great-nephews treated you, but they are ordered to kill anyone who trespasses."

"I understand." A silence, then,

"Ah…so that's why you came for me. Quite ingenious of you, Lord Uchiha, and a gesture that I hope will not be in vain." _Lord Uchiha?_ "That is your proper title, correct? After all, you are the last of your clan remaining in Konoha, and are a genius in your own right."

"W-well, yes, I suppose it's my inherited title, but…no one refers to me that way. Since there's no longer a clan for me to truly represent, it doesn't really make sense to address me that way. That'd be like addressing Naruto as 'Lord Uzumaki'." The older man shrugs.

"Well, your family has always held our deep respect, and just because the majority of your family has died doesn't make your name any less reputable in my household. Especially not with…" His deep blue eyes focus on me, then merely falls silent. _Damn Sohmas…no wonder Tami doesn't feel the need to share things with me, when her own family never does_. "It's not that I enjoy keeping secrets, Lord Uchiha. It simply isn't my place to divulge such information."

"What information?" I ask, my curiosity roused. He left off in a place that left much to the imagination. Especially not with what? But he doesn't answer me, and I realize that we're here. We hurry inside and race up to Tami's floor. Upon entering her room, I find Doctor Yakamura there, performing his routine check-up on her. He looks up when we enter and his eyes dart between us.

"Who's this?" he asks.

"I'm Sohma Hitoshi, Tami's grandfather," he answers. "I've come to help keep my granddaughter alive."

"It's an honor. What do you have in mind, Sir?" Dr. Yakamura asks, his eyes fixated fully on him.

"I can keep her sedated while you perform surgery and monitor her body throughout."

"Excellent," the doctor says, looking relieved. He walks briskly to the door and calls for a nurse. One of the medic nins hurries over and Dr. Yakamura gives him a quick set of tasks. The medic nin hurries off and the doctor turns to Tami's grandfather. "Fifteen minutes."

"Sooner, if possible," the older man replies. "Does she need to be moved?"

"Yes, would you mind-?" Both men cross the room and Shikamaru, Naruto, Kakashi, and I quickly push objects out of the way in order for them to wheel her out. "Would one of you come with us, pushing her IV?" I dart across the room and grab it, following them out. We hurry through the halls to the operating rooms on this floor, where a handful of medics stand waiting for us. One of them takes the IV from me while another puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm afraid you're not allowed in, sir, but there are seats in the hall." They all file in and shut the door, leaving me in silence. I turn, only to find that Shikamaru and Naruto had followed us.

"So…so now what do we do?" Naruto asks. I walk over to the seat right in front of the door and sink into it, my eyes fixed on it.

"We wait."


	18. Chapter 18

Hiiii everybody! See? Told you I would update! Don't think I have another full chapter left, though. BUT! Good news is, I can ADD ON to the rest of this chapter (when I say "this", I mean how I previously sliced it to post on Quizilla) and lengthen it a little, adding more fun stuffs to read, giving some story depth, and hopefully I'll be able to post here again sooner than I can on the 'Zilla Monster. SOOO, DISCLAIMERS! I don't own Naruto! There, I said it! I only own what's rightfully mine (character, plotline, blah blah). ENJOY CHAPTER 17! Thanks for reading! :D

**Chapter 18**

Sasuke's P.O.V.

Several hours pass, each one dragging by and heightening the tension. Shikamaru and Naruto have alternated between sitting and pacing back and forth in front of the doors, looking for something to keep them occupied. However, not one of us has spoken. There's nothing to say; this is our one shot at helping her. If this fails…Well, we haven't heard her screaming yet, which means that either her grandfather is doing his job or the walls are extremely sound-proof. I'm hoping for the former of the two. At the end of the fourth hour, I'm finally at my wits' end and am about to tell Naruto to sit down before I do a little amputation of my own, starting at his ankles, when the doors swing open. We all spring to our feet as a few medic nins file out and head right past us. A long moment of stillness follows, and I begin to suspect that it was a false alarm when Tami's grandfather exits, along with the doctor. Hitoshi bows to Dr. Yakamura, thanking him for his hard work, then turns to me. He bows to me, as well, and as he straightens he says,

"Thank you, Lord Uchiha, for coming to me." I nod, then bow in return. I suppose he can read my inner anxiety, my only thought being_ 'Is Tami alright?'_, for he doesn't say anything more. Finally, all eyes go to Dr. Yakamura. The front of his clothes is covered in smears of red, which makes my stomach lurch, but he, thankfully, smiles.

"The operation was a success. Her ribs have been mended and though she's still coping with the infection, her breathing has become much steadier and deeper. As long as she gets plenty of rest and is administered antibiotics regularly, she'll be just fine." The three of us release sighs of relief; Naruto even sinks to the ground. Dr. Yakamura looks equally relieved and rests a hand on my shoulder. "Thank you, Sasuke. Your idea was brilliant." I merely nod; I don't feel that I can take much credit for it. After all, Hitoshi had been the one who actually helped, and it was Kakashi who brought her family to mind. "She has to stay in the ICU for a day, just to be sure, but hopefully she'll return to her room by tomorrow. Go home and get some rest, boys." And with that, Dr. Yakamura walks away, followed by Hitoshi. We stand there for a minute more, then walk down the hall, away from the operating room, and finally out of the hospital.

"I guess…we should thank you, too, Sasuke," Naruto says, looking up at me. "I mean, you saved Tami's life. I never would have thought to get her grandfather."

"You have nothing to thank me for," I reply. "Kakashi was the one who put the idea into my head, and Hitoshi was the one who actually kept her asleep."

"But the fact of the matter is that you knew what to do," Shikamaru insists. "Had you not been there, she'd still be lying in bed with her ribs in pieces."

"I was simply repaying my debt, that's all," I state emphatically. "It was more my responsibility to save her than anyone else's, because she was wounded protecting me."

"So…it was more a matter of…professional courtesy to you than anything?" Shikamaru asks, his small brown eyes locked on me. I arch an eyebrow at him, and I can feel Naruto staring at us.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You weren't motivated by anything else but returning the favor?"

"She's also my teammate. It's my duty to watch over her as a member of my squad. I'd have done the same if Naruto had been severely wounded in the fight against Gaara, but he's fine. And Sakura turned out alright, as well. We saw her at the funeral of the Hokage, and she was only a little sore." The things I'm saying should be honest, but I can feel that it's only a half-truth. Yes, had either of the others been seriously wounded, I would have tried to help them heal, but I know I wouldn't have tried nearly as hard or worried half as much as I have been these past two weeks. "But Tami was gravely injured, and therefore needed our attention more than anything. Why, Shikamaru, aren't you asking these questions of _Naruto_? He was around Tami just as much as we were." He shrugs.

"I'm just curious. You used to not like anyone, but now…" I stare blankly at him for a few moments, then turn and keep walking.

"You're looking for correlations in places where none exist. Tami and I are teammates, nothing more."

"Fine, fine…" But I hear something in his voice I hadn't a few minutes ago, and when I cast a glance at him I find a small smile playing across his lips. Why was he asking those questions? To determine my reasons for being so anxious to find a cure…or to make sure there's nothing between Tami and myself? I've been questioning his motives for two weeks now, yet I still can't figure out exactly what he wants. I envy Tami's powers; she'd know what he wants, what he's thinking. At last we go our separate ways and I get home without incident. My mind has gone back to worrying about Tami. The doctor told us the operation was a success, but I still can't shake the anxiety. I have to see her well again before I'll believe that everything went smoothly. Hopefully she'll be well enough to be moved back to her room tomorrow, like the doctor said, because I hate not knowing. The uncertainty is almost as terrible as it was knowing that she was dying.

Fraught with worry and unable to relax, I gather my practice weapons and head back out, going to Squad Seven's training area. It's vacant, thankfully, so I get started. I start with simple target practice, but the monotony of it quickly bores me and I instead set my sights on the large boulder not too far away, just outside the usual boundaries of our training space. It'd be good to practice Chidori on…I start walking in its direction, and already I can feel my chakra flowing eagerly in anticipation. My thoughts go back to Naruto and the strength he possessed while fighting Gaara…Naruto's development over recent months has been abnormal, to say the least. When we were in school, he was considered a failure, unable to perform the most simple of jutsus, like the doppelganger jutsu, yet now he's capable of things not even Jonin are. In the fight against Gaara, I'd been all but useless. Once the curse mark had taken hold, I hadn't been able to do anything; I hadn't even had the strength to stand for the first thirty or so minutes. It had been my own weakness that had enabled Gaara to set his hands on Tami and injure her the way he had – not only her, but Sakura as well.

_Tami…_My weakness had nearly cost me the person I hold most dear. I have to improve, get stronger…I'd thought that Kakashi's training had been enough, that I was ready to take on Gaara and prove to Tami that I didn't need her to worry about me, but that plan had fallen through…horribly. I can't take that risk again, not with the consequences that notion had cost me, and others as well. I finally reach the boulder and look up at it. Thick, sturdy…it won't shatter if I hit it with Chidori, which is good. I take a deep breath and fold my hands together, making the handseals I could do in my sleep. The bright, blue crackling erupts in my palm and I take a running start for the boulder. Closer…closer…I press my palm to the boulder's surface and I feel the power discharge from my palm into the object, watching the stone shatter from the blow. Bits of the rock drop to the ground as I drive my hand further and further beneath the surface. At last the charge dies away and I look into the deep crater that I left. _Not good enough._ I take a step back, remaking the hand seals as I go, and set my eyes on another section.

I keep on this way for a while. Two's no longer my limit; well, not exactly, anyway. I'm able to create smaller, less destructive charges after two full ones, and though I wish I could do more, at least it's a sign of improvement. Glad to see _something_ good came out of me pushing myself beyond my prior limitations. At last I sink to the ground, my breath coming in huffs and my hands twitching, pain erupting with the onset of each tremor. Naruto's progress is still gnawing at me. _How does he just keep getting stronger, bypassing all expectations, when my development is so sluggish? My achievements in the academy far surpassed his, but now…_ I frown, frustrated. It simply doesn't add up. The power he possessed during the fight against Gaara was…inhuman. I've never seen such strength…and this isn't the only time his potential has astounded me. All throughout the Chunin exams, even when he appeared to be on his last limb, he still had the energy to fight back, even incapacitate opponents. _How? How does he do it?_

The sun has started its descent toward the horizon, making the time around five or six in the evening. I sigh, getting to my feet and heading for home. I don't like having nothing to occupy my mind, because it leaves spaces for other things to fill my thoughts, but my chakra's expended and my aim is as impeccable as usual, so there's nothing more I can really do. I don't want to push myself much farther, anyway, for it could make me unable to get up tomorrow, and I have to make sure Tami's alright. I don't want to hear about it second-hand; it's something I have to see to believe. I make it home safely, going about my nightly routine before finally sinking into bed and falling asleep.

Tami's P.O.V.

Through the blanket of my unconsciousness, I start feeling the stirrings of mental signatures all around me, and had I been more awake I would have breathed a sigh of relief. _I'm alive._ I hadn't even needed to hear the doctor's diagnosis of me; I could feel it as the days had passed. My body had been growing steadily weaker; it had been harder and harder to draw breath as each day had gone by…I hadn't even had the strength to fully wake back up after that first incident. Whenever I'd been able to wake, I'd been in such pain that the whole thing was a blur (not helped by the fact that I was constantly under the clouding influence of morphine and who knows what else…). But of one thing I was sure: there had been at least one person next to me at all times. Even unconscious, I still had the feeling that someone was with me, even if I couldn't tell who they were.

Focusing, I manage to summon enough strength to turn my head slightly. _Eh, not bad, but I need to do more._ I want to finally wake up, see people, and damn it, I want to be myself again. Bedridden and weak does NOT suit me very well. I shift again, hoping to rouse myself into wakefulness. A voice rises out of the darkness, sounding far away even though I know he's probably right next to me.

"H-hey! She's moving!" The mental signatures move closer to me, reawakening my powers and bringing me that much closer to consciousness. I turn my attention instead to lifting my eyelids, which each feel like they have weights lying on top of them. _Damn it, come on…_I manage a slight flutter, but this alone nearly exhausts me. _Fucking really? A __flutter__? That's all I'm capable of? The hell it is! Wake up!_ I manage another flutter, this time enough for light to trickle through, and this is a slight encouragement. _Ugh, that's the last time I nearly die in battle, because this BLOWS._ Had I known it would take me this long to simply wake my ass up, I'd have rejected taking morphine and simply dug my bits of rib out myself._ Stop,_ I tell myself. _Relax. Center your focus. Breathe…in… _I do so, allowing the training my grandfather had put me through to take dominance. _Now out._ I exhale. _Again. In._ I take a deep breath, feeling prickles of pain along my right side. My muscles must still be sore. _Now out._ Another exhale and I can feel myself waking up. I still feel like I'm being held under a pillow, but now the pillow's not as heavy as it was. _Once more…in…_ Inhale through the nose, concentrating._ And out._

Upon exhaling, I slowly slide my eyelids up, and for the first time in…shit, _way_ too long, sunlight fills my vision. Not only does light reach my eyes, though, but so do the figures of my nearest and dearest, all standing around my bed. The first person I notice is Sasuke. His dark figure is looming over me, standing at my left side and staring down at me with hopeful, earnest onyx eyes. When he notices that my eyes are open, I see the shadow of a smile cross his lips. I return it, as much as I'm able to, and my eyes go on to the next person: Naruto. His face is absolutely aglow with relief, his wide blue eyes dancing and his mouth stretched into his signature grin. Shikamaru's next to him, looking almost as relieved as the blonde. At the foot of my bed stands Kakashi, looking pleased, and at his side, Sakura._ Well, that's a surprise._ The even greater surprise is that next to her stands my grandfather. I open my mouth slightly, but no sound arises so I shut it, swallowing before trying again.

"You know, you all look like fucking stalkers, watching me sleep like that." As if they rehearsed it, they release a collective sigh of relief.

"Oh Tami, we're so glad you're okay!" Sakura says, giving me a bright smile. _Uh huh, suuure she is._ I can feel the hollow, half-truth in her words. True, she hadn't really wanted me to _die_, but she certainly would have enjoyed having more time alone with Sasuke.

"We thought you were gonna die," Naruto says, his voice trembling a bit near the end. He reaches forward and rests a hand on mine. "You were looking so…so awful, those last few days." I roll my eyes, which is a feat on its own.

"Me, die? Nice try, but it's not so easy to get rid of me. You're going to have to try harder than that." He grins at my teasing, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

"How're you feeling?" Kakashi asks. I groan.

"So quick to point out my weakness, Sensei? I'm not in too much pain, which is good. My side's a little sore, probably from the surgery and ripped stitches and whatnot, but it's not nearly as bad as before." I have to stop to take a deep breath, just that answer having worn me out. "But I'm tired. You saw how long it took me to actually open my eyes, and it's an ongoing effort to keep them open."

"But you're alive," Shikamaru says, beaming at me. I look at him and return the smile.

"Yep, one hundred percent. I'd say 'alive and kicking', but I couldn't move my legs if I wanted to."

"It's just as well," Grandfather says and I turn my eyes to meet his blue ones. "You need your rest, Tami. You're still fighting an infection, though your recovery should be much faster now that your bones have been mended."

"Awake already?" We all turn toward the door and a tall doctor walks in. His brunette hair is thinly streaked with gray, and the dark circles beneath his eyes make him look older than he probably is, but seeing me awake seems to be putting a little more life into his stride. "My, that was much faster than I anticipated."

"Quick healer," I comment, smirking, "Which might explain why I'm not _dead_." He chuckles.

"Perhaps so. Any pain?"

"Not much, but I'm a little sore," I reply.

"Well, the pain should ebb in a week or two. Any difficulty breathing? Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Nope," I reply. "Except for the fact that I'm too weak to really move, I'm just peachy."

"Glad to hear it. These three were worried sick about you, you know," he says, gesturing to Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru. I snort.

"That's because they're pansies who like to underestimate me. They should've known I wouldn't die; would've saved themselves the worry." But I'm touched. So they're the ones I felt near me all the time, keeping a watchful eye on me.

"Well, even if you didn't need anyone to worry about you, you will need to stay for at least three more days. Your bones are still fragile and could break again if you put too much strain on them. Not only that, but the muscles in your side need time to strengthen. I'd like to keep you under supervision during that time." I nod, though that sucks._ Three more days? At least? Shit, I've been here long enough already._ My eyes slowly move up to meet Sasuke's again, and I can hear the thoughts running through his head.

'_Thank Gods, she's alright. She looks exhausted, but at least she's alive. And the doctor was surprised to see her awake, which is probably a good sign. I wish the others weren't around…she wouldn't have to act so strong if it was just us.'_ I arch an eyebrow at him, which causes the most delicate of blushes to cross his pale cheeks, but I don't push it farther than that.

"Well, Tami, I suppose we should let you rest," Kakashi says. "Come on, you four. There's still daylight left, so we may as well get in a little-"

"Training?" Naruto bursts excitedly. Kakashi chuckles.

"Sure, training." I snort.

"You could've been training for two weeks, moron." He turns back to me, giving me a soft smile.

"You needed us more, though." I return the smile, shaking my head gently.

"Sure Naruto, whatever you say. Go, get some training done. Might as well get a little stronger while I'm recovering, because I'm going to need someone to spar with when I get the hell out of this place." He grins.

"You can count on me, Tami!" With that, he follows Kakashi and Sakura out of the room. Behind them is Shikamaru, Sasuke bringing up the rear. He throws a final glance at me as he rounds the corner, then he's gone. Silence falls for a moment, then my grandfather stands.

"Well, I must get back to the compound, Tami. I wanted to come by and make sure that your recovery was progressing as the doctor had hoped. Glad to see you're actually ahead of schedule."

"You and me both," I say softly, sinking against my pillows a little more. My body's fatigue is starting to pull me under and my eyes are having trouble staying open. He chuckles.

"Go to sleep. I shall return tomorrow." I nod, and if he says anything else I miss it because I sink into sleep.

When I open my eyes again, night's fallen and the sky is a deep, inky black_. Like the color of Sasuke's eyes_ – Honestly?That's what I think about? Not 'Yay, it's getting easier to wake up', but the sky is the color of Sasuke's eyes? Pathetic! Absolutely fucking pathe – My attention is suddenly drawn to the presence I sense nearby. Kicking my mind into work, I search for the person's location. The mental signature is familiar to me, and I realize who it is. Calming down, I smile a little.

'_I can feel you watching me.'_ Startled, he replies,

'_I'm making sure you're alright.'_ I chuckle and say,

'_You'd get a better reading on my health if you came here, instead of watching me from afar like a creeper.'_ For a moment, I don't get a reply, then bam! He's standing at the foot of my bed.

"Happy?" he asks and I smirk.

"Are you? See, I'm better. Kind of." He walks around to my side and says,

"I want you better than 'kind of', though." I sigh.

"Give it time, Sasuke. I'm healing."

"I know," he murmurs, his dark eyes troubled. "It just…I hate seeing you like this. Bedridden. It doesn't suit you." I snort.

"I agree wholeheartedly. However, that doesn't change matters. I don't even know how much it'll hurt to stand yet." This seems to sink his mood, so I look up at him. "What?"

"…It's my fault."

"What is?"

"THIS," he says, gesturing to me, then around the room. "It's my fault you were injured."

"No it isn't," I refute, staring up at him. _He's blaming himself?_

"How is it not my fault? Tami, you jumped in between me and Gaara. You took the blow that was meant for _me_. How does that not make it my fault?" he demands, looking at me desperately. I can feel how fatigued his body is; delving into his memory, I see that he's barely gotten any sleep in two weeks. The strain of me being in the hospital has been chipping away at his health, so it's no surprise that he's a little…crazy right now. I sigh.

"Sasuke, you need to go home and get some sleep. It's far too late at night, and Kakashi's probably going to resume training tomorrow. You'll need the rest."

"I'm fine," he argues, still staring at me with an intense gaze. "But you haven't answered me. How is it not my fault you're injured?" I sigh again and meet his gaze sternly.

"Because I _chose_ to, as you put it, jump in between you and Gaara. I could have stood to the side, allowed Sakura to take the hit instead, but I knew she couldn't protect you like I could. So I got in the way. My actions were of my own decision, Sasuke. You didn't throw me in the way; therefore it wasn't your fault, so quit beating yourself up over it. If I'm not, you shouldn't be." He stands there for a minute in dazed silence, then he murmurs,

"You don't blame me? At all?" I chuckle softly, relaxing against my pillows.

"Well, maybe a little, simply because you pushed too far and got yourself into a situation that required you to be protected in the first place, but when it comes to my actual injury, no, I don't blame you in the slightest." I gesture to the chair next to him. "You want to sit, or do you prefer looming over me?" He sinks obediently into the chair, still shocked.

"I just…I don't understand." I chuckle.

"You're still trying to figure out why I do the things I do? Figured you'd have given up by this point."

"You almost died _saving_ _my life_," he says, leaning closer to me and resting a hand on mine, as if I hadn't grasped that concept.

"I'm well aware," I say calmly. "After spending all this time in the hospital, if I didn't realize I'd nearly died I'd be pretty stu-"

"This isn't a _joke_, Tami!" he whispers heatedly.

"I _know_, Sasuke," I retort in a cool voice.

"Then why aren't you taking this seriously?" he asks. I huff exasperatedly and give him the firmest glare I can muster in my current state.

"I am taking this _seriously_. I'm just not taking this _hard_. I'm not dead, or crippled – well, at least not permanently so – and above all things, I'm not reacting the way you are because this is something I would willingly do again." His eyes widen in shock as he processes what I'd said.

"What?"

"I would take the blow for you again, if it came down to it."

"_Why_?" he asks, confounded.

"Because we're friends, Sasuke," I reply, smiling slightly. He's kind of cute when he's completely perplexed. He's trying so hard to understand, but it's all going right over his head. He's so hung up over the fact that I would risk my life to save his again, and deal with all this pain. "That's just the kind of thing a friend would do for another." I arch an eyebrow at him and ask, "Is this your way of telling me that you wouldn't have done the same had you been in my place?"

"No, of course I would have," he answers with not a second's hesitation.

"See? Same thing," I say. "It just seems more shocking since I actually acted upon my words. It's easy to say something, but _doing_ it is another matter entirely." He exhales slowly, slumping forward so he's lying against my bedside, and I realize with not a little surprise that he's still holding my hand._ Wow, talk about getting comfortable with affection…_

"You exhaust me," he mutters, still resting against the bed. I snort.

"Well gee, Sasuke, I hate to wear you out so much. You know, no one said this friendship is binding. You're free to go at any time." For a moment, there's a silence, then he chuckles and lifts his head so he can meet my gaze. He's got that smirk on his face; the one that used to piss me off and now just sends shivers up my arms. He hesitates for a moment, then says,

"No, I'm not." I'm thankful for the darkness enshrouding the room, because he definitely would have mocked me for the blush that I know has started heating my cheeks. He gives my hand a gentle squeeze, then stands. "Go back to sleep; you need the rest. We'll come and visit tomorrow, I'm sure."

"And if there isn't a 'we' involved?" I ask, my heart thrumming in anticipation. He smirks again.

"Hn. Can't get enough of me, can you?" I arch an eyebrow at him and say,

"Maybe I should've let Gaara off you. It would've given me less sass to have to put up with." He snorts.

"Sass? _Me_? You hypocrite." I laugh, but this brings about a round of painful throbs from my still-healing wounds, and as I wince, Sasuke notices. He bends down over me, his eyes clouded with concern again.

"I'm fine," I mutter, though the pain hasn't ebbed.

"You don't look it," he retorts.

"Well, screw you too, Uchiha," I growl, sinking against my pillows. He gives me a half-hearted glower.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know exactly what you meant," I hiss back. "I just decided to make it sound worse than how you meant it."

"Because you're a brat," he comments, looking less and less annoyed with me by the second. _Wow, my comments aren't getting under the skin of Uchiha Sasuke? I must be losing my touch. I used to be able to say one thing and it would be enough to set him off, but now…Ugh, he's making me work for it._ He puts his hands against my shoulders. "Lie back and relax. You're tensing the muscles in your body by staying upright and it's not helping your pain." I nod and do as he says. "Go back to sleep. I'll see you later." I nod, my eyes already sliding shut. I just barely make out his form leaping out the window before I sink into complete oblivion.

My eyes flutter open to the feel of someone's hand on mine. I turn and find Shikamaru in a chair next to my bed, his head tilted back. From the relaxed state of his body, he's lightly asleep, just dozing. I gently slip my hand out from under his and murmur,

"Shikamaru?" He starts, his head jerking up and his eyes finding mine.

"T-Tami," he stutters, rubbing his temple slightly with the heel of his other hand. "Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

"It's fine. You look exhausted," I comment, looking him over. "When was the last time you did sleep?"

"Last night, but only for a few hours," he replies.

"When was the last time you ate?" I ask, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Um…lunch yesterday, I think," he answers. I look at the clock.

"That was nearly thirteen hours ago," I scold. He snorts.

"Look who's talking. I'm not the patient here, you are. Focus on getting yourself better." He smiles at me and adds, "Glad to see you're able to sit up a little."

"Yeah, guess they propped me this way this morning," I reply. "Now that the wound is closed, I'm allowed to do a little more moving than before." He nods, though jealousy tugs at the back of his mind. From our previous contact, I'm nice and familiar with Shikamaru's mind, so I break in and listen to his thoughts.

'_There goes Sasuke again, getting to be the hero…not that I can really be mad, because his quick thinking probably saved her life…But why does that guy have to be so perfect?'_ Rooting through his memory, I find that Sasuke's the reason my grandfather showed up and put me under long enough for my surgery to be performed. Like Shikamaru said, he…probably saved my life. I avert my gaze from Shikamaru's face and find the vase sitting on my bedside table.

"Wow," I breathe. "Who brought these?"

"I did," he replies, then clears his throat. "Excuse me, _Naruto and I_ brought them." I arch my eyebrow at him again and he grins. "I brought them in this morning, and Naruto was already here. When he saw them, he felt bad that he hadn't brought anything, so I told him that I'd make it a joint gift from both of us." I chuckle, though the motion causes sharp jabs of pain from my freshly healed wounds. The flowers he'd brought were beautiful; white and sky blue calla lilies. I'm not much of a flower person, but I've always been rather fond of these, maybe because their shape is so different.

"Well, I appreciate the group effort," I joke, reaching out and running my left index finger around the mouth of one of the white ones.

"Yeah, Ino thought I had a date," he says, making a face. I smirk.

"Boy, bet she jumped all over that idea."

"Yeah, no kidding," he mutters. "She can be a real drag sometimes. I think she expects too much of me."

"Or maybe you just don't expect enough of yourself," I argue, looking at him. "You're always so willing to undersell yourself, but you're every bit as talented and special as anyone we know. You just lack the effort, that's all." He stares at me for a moment, taken aback, then he snickers.

"Wow, that's probably the nicest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth."

"Shut up," I mutter. "I can go right back to being bitchy, if you'd prefer."

"Kinda would, actually, because Nice Tami is scaring me," he retorts. I swing my foot out from under the covers and kick him in the leg, but that causes a burn to sear through the tender muscles of my side and I immediately freeze. "Tami?" He hops out of his seat, his leg throbbing, and he gently puts his hands on my shoulders. "Lay back…easy, easy…" He gently guides me back against the pillows and I bite back whimpers of pain. Once I'm settled I mutter,

"That was a bad idea." He snorts again, saying,

"You think?"

"Well if you weren't such a provoking ass, maybe I wouldn't have needed to kick you," I retort. He chuckles softly. "Actually, Shikamaru, will you help me stand up?"

"Huh?" he asks. "If it hurts you just to kick me, what makes you think you need to stand up?"

"Just help me, would you?" I ask. He sighs and stands.

"Girls are such drags…"

"Then why are you still here?" I tease, earning me a small smile. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and reach my hand out, which he takes. He gently drapes my arm over his shoulder and, very slowly, starts to help me up. After being practically comatose for two weeks, my legs feel like jelly as I begin putting my weight on them, my knees buckling slightly under the pressure.

"See? You can barely even hold yourself up," he comments.

"Shut up," I mutter, slightly put-out. Using my other arm to brace myself against the bed, I slide my arm from around Shikamaru's shoulder and force the muscles in my legs to work, finally rising to my full height. I give him a cocky smile, even though I can feel my knees trembling from the effort. "See? I don't need your help after all." He gives me a look that clear says, _"Uh huh, suuure you don't",_ but he keeps quiet. My side is starting to sear, but I ignore the pain and start taking shaky steps toward the window sill. Shikamaru follows along, careful eyes on me the entire way. I have to hold onto the side of the bed, and every step I take I worry that my legs are going to give out on me. Boy, that would suck. Shikamaru's already too eager to be my knight in shining armor; I don't want to give him the satisfaction. I get all the way to the window and turn back to grin at him. "Ta da. All by myself." I put my hand on the sill and suddenly my vision goes dark._ What the f-?_

"…_Just as you told me to…I've resented and hated you…and lived solely…TO KILL YOU!" Sasuke takes a running start at Itachi, Chidori crackling in his palm. Fury and adrenaline run through his veins like liquid fire, and the only thing he sees is Itachi…the murderer of his family…his fiercest enemy… But just as Sasuke gets close, Itachi grabs his wrist. Naruto folds his hands together and begins circulating his chakra, which attracts Itachi's attention._

"_You-!" Sasuke starts, but Itachi cuts him off._

"_You're in the way." With that, he puts pressure on Sasuke's wrist, snapping it. Sasuke cries out in pain and crumples to the floor. Completely disinterested in his brother's pain, Itachi turns his deep crimson eyes to Naruto instead._

I open my eyes to find myself on the floor, Shikamaru standing over me.

"Tami! Tami, what the-? Are you alright?"

"I dunno," I breathe. My eyes are wide and my heart is racing. Itachi's coming back. Soon. The vision shows the boys the same as they are now, so it _must_ be soon. "Shikamaru, have you heard of anything happening recently? In town?" He stares at me blankly for a moment, then says,

"W-well, I heard your sensei was at home on bed rest after a fight with some guys. I only know this because Asuma-Sensei was there-"

"U-um, Shikamaru, could you help me back into bed?" I ask. "I'm not feeling too good." This is true, but not because of my injury._ Sasuke's in danger. _

"Y-yeah, of course." He slides his hands beneath me and lifts me up, holding me bridal style as he carries me back to bed. Once I'm lying against the pillows I look up at him with my most innocent expression and say,

"Shikamaru, would you mind giving me some time alone? I won't be able to fall asleep if you're in here. Your mind will keep me awake."

"Yeah, absolutely," he agrees, immediately backing up. "I'll come and check on you soon, alright?" I nod politely and he leaves. I feel his mind getting farther away, and I finally scramble out of bed, going back to the window sill to watch him. Shikamaru leaves the hospital and only when I can't see him anymore do I turn. _My clothes must be in here somewhere…_ I walk as quickly as my weak body will allow to the small cabinet in the room and throw the doors open. _Bingo._ Lying inside are my clothes and weapons. I quickly undress, putting on my own clothes (and I can't describe how great it feels to be back in my usual outfit) before staggering to the window. I slide it back quietly then jump out, sticking to the wall of the hospital using my chakra and running down. Ugh, I'm so weak that just this is an effort, and when I'm finally on solid ground I dart into the trees before sinking to the ground. My head is spinning and my legs feel like lead. _Damn it, those two weeks nearly killed my mobility. I can't even run for an entire minute before succumbing to exhaustion. How the hell am I supposed to find Sasuke if I collapse every two seconds?_ After sitting there for nearly five minutes, I manage to get back on my feet. _I have to find Sasuke. I can't afford to sit here._ Though my body resists, I hurry as quickly as I can through town. _If I remember right, Sasuke lives…_

I skid to a halt in front of Sasuke's place and hurry inside, not even bothering to knock.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, are you home?" I yell, but as I scan the house for active minds, I find that I'm coming up empty. No one's here. _Shit!_ I hurry back out, my breathing already labored even though on a normal day this would be a breeze. _Naruto – I have to find Naruto!_ I take off, skipping trying to find his house and instead heading straight for Ichiraku. He's more likely to be there than anywhere else. I come to a stop in front of it and pull the curtain back. "E-excuse me." He looks up and a stunned expression crosses his face. I must look as bad as I feel. _Gods, my side hurts so badly…_

"Uhh, what can I do for you?"

"Has Naruto been here lately?" I ask, gasping for air.

"Uh, no, he left with Lord Jiraiya earlier today. Funny, a dark haired boy came in here asking the same thing just an hour ago."

"Spikey hair, like a cockatoo?" I ask.

"Yeah, that's the one. Good-looking boy. He came asking where Naruto went, and I told him that he left with Lord Jiraiya to a nearby town with a pleasure district." There's only one town relatively close that fits that description, thank goodness. I watch his thoughts as they replay when Sasuke stopped by, and how Sasuke simply ran out after getting the information he needed._ That ass._ I force a smile and say,

"I don't have enough time to repay you for t-telling me what you know, but I'll make it up to you when I get-" I stop, my side giving a throb so vicious that I'm brought to my knees by it.

"H-hey!" He hurries around the counter and kneels next to me. _Damn it, damn it, damn it! I won't make it in time if I'm a fucking cripple!_ "Jeez, are you alright? You were already looking a little worse for the wear; should I take you to the hospital?"

"No time," I manage to reply. I force myself to rise, gripping my side as more pain scorches through my muscles. "I have to go. Thank you again, and I promise to make it up to you. All three of us will." I turn and hurry back out. The closest town with a pleasure district is, at the least, three hours away, and in my condition it'll probably take me twice that long. I head for the main gates, my adrenaline already coursing through my veins. Sasuke already has an hour's lead on me…I reach the gates and simply run up its side.

"H-hey, you're not supposed to do that!" one of the guards at the top says.

"Sorry, I'm in too great a hurry to wait for you to let me out," I reply curtly, pushing off the top and diving into the lush forest beyond. I leap clumsily from one tree to another, pausing every few minutes to regain my bearings. My condition seems to be worsening with every step I take, and I start to worry about what will happen if I black out before I can stop them. After an hour of broken progress, I finally sink down. My legs are trembling with exhaustion and sweat is running down my back in sheets._ I can't keep this up…I can't remember the last time I was…this exhausted…_

I look up at the sky. _Middle of the afternoon. I have to press on. The boys need me_. Naruto has no idea how strong Itachi truly is, and Sasuke…he'll rush in, head first, no second thoughts whatsoever. I saw this from my vision; he'll attack. He thinks he's strong enough, but he's not. Not even close. But Itachi and I were…close. He trusted me. Perhaps some remnants of that trust remain, and I can talk him out of whatever it is that he plans to do. So, after nearly ten minutes of rest, I slowly and inelegantly get back on my feet and keep on. I'm so tired that it's hard to manipulate my chakra the way I want it, and several times I nearly don't make it to the next branch. But I refuse to let my own weakness keep me from helping them, not when they need me this badly. In comparison to the other threats we've faced…this is so much worse. I'd rather face Gaara again than have to go head-to-head with Uchiha Itachi. He was incredible before he left; who knows what three years have done to change him. I can only imagine the power he now possesses. And he incapacitated Kakashi-Sensei, who I know isn't a pushover.

I keep on this way for nearly three more hours, and by the time I touch down I can barely keep standing. My vision is starting to blur, which doesn't help at _all_, but I made it. I'm immediately hit with countless minds, all muddling together in a haze of mental activity. Shutting my eyes, I reign in every ounce of energy I have left and search for Sasuke's mind._ Come on, Sasuke, where are you?_ The haze slowly clears and there are fewer and fewer minds leaking through my concentration as I narrow down his location. I jump down from my place amongst the trees and hit the street, darting off in his direction. The closer I get, the more easily I can feel him. For a moment, I don't feel his emotions too strongly, then I sense the anger that's welling up in his chest. _Oh shit…he found them._ I zone in on where he is and finally find him. He's in the inn right ahead of me, and I can feel two other familiar presences, whom I can only assume are Naruto and…

I dart inside, startling the innkeeper. I vaguely hear him shout up at me, but I ignore him completely, for my mind's only focused on one thing – stopping the mayhem that's going on a few floors above me. I hurry up the stairs, though my body's now in so much pain that just _blinking_ seems to hurt. I skid to a stop on their floor, hiding behind the corner and peeking around it.

"…Just as you told me to…I've resented and hated you…and lived solely…TO KILL YOU!" Chidori lights up in the palm of Sasuke's hand and my breath catches in my throat. I dart around the corner, running past the stunned Naruto. Everything feels like it's going in slow-motion. My eyes are solely focused on Sasuke's form, his chakra crackling in his hand and bloodlust raging in his crimson eyes. Itachi will beat him senseless unless I stop him…_stop him…!_ Seeing no other option, I throw myself between the brothers. I shut my eyes, waiting for the pain of a blow from Chidori to hit me, but it doesn't come so I slowly reopen my eyes. I have a hand resting on the chests of both men, who look equally stunned to see me.

"Tami," Sasuke breathes, his eyes wide.

"H-hi," I whisper in reply.

"You…you IDIOT!" I jump at his sudden outburst and his eyes sharpen into a fierce glower. I know how pathetic I must look; sweat is pouring down my neck, my face is pale, and a moron could see the intense pain I'm feeling. But I glare at him.

"Yeah, n-nice to…see you t-t-too…_ass_," I spit, drawing in ragged inhales. "I just spent…four hours…trying to keep you from-"

"That's my point – why aren't you in the hospital?" he demands, and it's like nothing else exists. He's more concerned for my health than the revenge standing three feet away.

"Y-you act like…it's h-hard to escape," I say casually.

"B-but Tami! The doctors said you're in no condition to move!" Naruto pipes up from behind me.

"Yeah, w-well…you two…won't give me t-time…to rest, will you? Always…putting yourselves…in situations…y-you can't…escape from…" A soft chuckle erupts from my other side and I feel the vibrations against my hand. It sends chills up my spine.

"Sounds like things haven't changed." Just when I thought I couldn't be more breathless… I slowly turn to look up at him, my hazel eyes meeting his crimson gaze. I can't see any lower than the bridge of his nose, but I can hear the smile in his voice as he says, "Hello Tami." I swallow.

"Hello Itachi." We stand there for what feels like eternity, though it couldn't have been more than thirty seconds, just staring at one another. Excitement courses through his veins at being able to see me again, and I can finally see a little life return to his usually cold, dead eyes.

"Good to see you again." For a moment, I can't answer; my tongue doesn't seem to want to work. I finally manage a quiet,

"What are you doing here?" His crimson gaze darts to the blonde standing a few feet away and I look at Naruto, then back up at him. "B…but…why?"

"Following orders. However, this…" He places a hand over mine, which is still resting on his chest. "Was a pleasant surprise." I can feel the jealous rage building up in Sasuke's chest and I turn my gaze to him. He doesn't meet my eyes; he's just glaring daggers up at his brother. Another person snickers and we turn our eyes to Itachi's partner.

"Well, well, Itachi…you told me quite a bit about your life in Konoha, but you never mentioned this."

"'This' meaning what, Kisame?" Itachi asks coolly.

"The sibling rivalry…over the affections of a girl." Everyone falls silent for a moment, then I say,

"Are…are you fucking _retarded_?" He stiffens.

"What did you just say?" he asks.

"'Fighting over the affections of a girl'? That's the stupid bullshit sappy girls do over boys, not the other way around. And if there are two people who would _never_ do anything as _asinine_ as fight_ over a girl_, it's the Uchihas. You obviously don't know Itachi very well at all, to even make a comment like that. Dumbass."

"You insolent little bitch! You want to fight me?" he snarls, clutching the hilt of his sword.

"NO," Sasuke, Itachi, and Naruto say in stereo, but I retort,

"Oh, you want to go? Bring it on then!"

"You can barely even stand up!" he jeers, his blue lips splitting into a sneer.

"Neither will you, when I'm finished!" I snap hotly. "These three assholes can't decide anything for me – two of them can't even look after themselves, which is why I'm here in the fucking _first place_!" He laughs, amused by my little tirade and my audaciousness.

"You really think you can take me on? Do you even know who I am?" Since Itachi still has a hold on my hand, I delve into his mind and find out.

"Hoshigaki Kisame, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. The blade on your back is the Samehada, which you took from your sensei after you killed him. You killed him because he was selling information to Morino Ibiki – not that I blame you for doing so, really – and filled his place amongst the Seven." Kisame's eyes are wide in surprise now, his lips slightly parted in a gape.

"That's cheating," Itachi murmurs.

"The fuck it is," I growl in return, my eyes flickering up to meet his. "You and your S-ranked partner were going to gang up on a thirteen-year-old. THAT'S cheating."

"We do what we must," he says and I snort, giving him a glare.

"Oh yes, justify the means to me, Itachi. Just following orders, as always, I suppose. And such excuses make everything better, don't they?" His eyes harden a little, those deep crimson pools solidifying into rubies.

"You know better than anyone why I've done and continue to do the things I do."

"Yeah, I do," I say, and I notice that I subconsciously let my hand fall from Sasuke's chest, so now I'm only touching Itachi. "But it doesn't make it any less…" My voice trails off as my anger begins to level off. For some reason, I can't stay mad at him…it's almost as if those eyes can hypnotize me into submission.

"Well, Itachi, you seem awfully fond of this girl," Kisame suddenly pipes up. "And to tell the truth, I can see why. Quite a feisty girl, this one. Why don't we take both her AND the blonde runt?"

"No!" I snap, wrenching my hand out of Itachi's grasp and shaking myself of the spell he had on me. Looking around at them, I snap, "Damn it, why do the four of you think I can be so easily controlled? I CAN'T!" Kisame chuckles.

"So you think." Before anyone has the chance to stop me, I lunge forward, making a few short handseals that no one sees. Kisame continues to look at me, amused, but I rest my hand on his wrist and in a split second I have him screaming. The kashaku rei no jutsu is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He howls for a moment more before swinging his leg up. I leap out of the way, breaking out connection, but now I've touched him and it'll be a piece of – I choke as my side throbs, my knees quaking and threatening to give out beneath me. Two sets of hands grab me, one on either side, and Sasuke growls,

"Stop it, would you? You'll get yourself killed!"

"That bastard asked for it, and are you sure it's ME that's going to get me killed, Sasuke?" I bark, and he jumps, stunned.

"…So you do blame me," he mutters, guilt surging up in the pit of his stomach and his heart tightening. I immediately soften, saying,

"No, I don't blame you. I told you that before. But that doesn't change the fact that I was injured in your place."

"You…were what?" Itachi breathes, and I look up at him. I can feel anger boiling to the surface beneath that perfect façade, his gaze darting between me and Sasuke. "The reason you're so injured…is because you took a blow that was meant for _him_?"

"Of my own free will, damn it, he didn't ask me to," I reply acidly.

"What happened?" his deep voice demands, focusing his gaze on me.

"Nothing!" I answer exasperatedly. "It was a mission, things went wrong, and someone got hurt – big deal! It happens every day!"

"She's good at dealing with stress, too," Kisame observes and all three of us snap,

"Shut up!"

"I'm not a piece of fucking merchandise!" I continue, rounding on him. "Stop treating me like I can't hear you!" He just chuckles, his cocky attitude never fading and it's REALLY starting to piss me off. I'd have thought the kashaku rei would have wiped that smirk off his face, but maybe he needs another go…However, I feel someone begin manipulating their chakra right behind me and turn. Naruto's hands are together, charging his chakra; but it's so strong...It must be… He sets his mind on a technique, but before he gets the chance to implement it, Kisame swings his sword down right in front of him and suddenly all his chakra's gone. Naruto gawks, completely taken aback, and Kisame smirks.

"My Samehada cuts through and devours chakra!" My heart leaps to my throat as he moves closer to Naruto. "Now that your jutsu is gone, you shouldn't be any more trouble…but instead of your legs, maybe I should start with those arms…" Kisame raises his blade and I scream,

"Naruto, move!" But a gust of smoke arises and I feel the presence of three new beings; one is unconscious, and the other isn't human but has advanced intelligence. As the smoke clears, I see a tall man with long, white blonde hair, with a woman draped over his shoulder. Ahead of him, blocking the Samehada from slicing through Naruto, is a massive toad. This must be Jiraiya!

"You don't seem to know very much about me…I'm better at getting girls than they are at getting to me. It's my…specialty." He proceeds through a short rant about his "manliness", all of which I tune out of, my thoughts starting to blur through a mixture of pain and adrenaline. I can feel myself start sinking lower, towards the ground, and a set of arms encircle my waist, keeping me on my feet with the gentlest touches. At first I assume it's Sasuke, then I hear Itachi's voice in my head.

'_You shouldn't be here, Tami. You're weak, injured…You should be recovering from whatever injury you took to save my pathetic little brother.'_

'_He's not the only one I'm here to save,'_ I murmur in reply, sinking against him helplessly._ 'I can't let anything happen to either of them.'_

'_Why them?'_ he asks.

'_They're my teammates. My friends. You…you and Sasuke were the first people to show me true kindness, you know that. But when you left, Sasuke and I didn't speak for two years. It left a void; one I'm only now beginning to recover from. I need them, just as much as they need me.'_ He falls silent, knowing that I mean that I need them as my emotional supports and not just as backup.

'…_Come with me.'_ I slowly raise my head to see his eyes.

'_Whoa, what?'_

'_Leave with me and Kisame. We can pick up where we left off. We can train you better, and you will learn so much more, than you ever will here.'_ I place my hands on his chest, over his heart, and say,

'_Are you serious? __Leave__ with you?'_ He nods, and for the briefest of moments, I consider it. Itachi and I…we had so much in common back then. I feel that, given the chance, we could've talked for hours on end about absolutely nothing. But the moment passes and I shake my head._ 'No. No, I…I can't. I have things here…people here…they mean too much to me. And no one can train me better than my grandfather can. I'm sorry, Itachi…I can't.'_ I feel the smallest of aches hit him, and I feel guilty for being the cause, but I can't leave everything.

"You guys wanted to draw me away, so you used the Sharingan to cast a genjutsu on the woman, eh? Not a very manly way of doing things…" Jiraiya says, placing the unconscious woman on the floor not far away.

'_Draw him away? Why would they…?'_ Naruto ponders, but this is answered when Jiraiya says,

"So you really are after Naruto." Itachi looks over my head to Jiraiya, keeping a firm hold on me. Through my haze, I can hear Sasuke's angry thoughts.

'_Naruto? Why Naruto? Damn it, why, after all this time, am I not strong enough to beat him? This is my chance, he's right here, and instead of me getting to kill him, he gets to hold her so close…Far closer than I can…Gods, it makes me sick! Why am I so inferior to him? I have the same blood running through my veins as he does, why is the difference in our skills so great?'_

"No wonder Kakashi knew about this…you were his source of information…'to abduct Naruto'…those were the orders given to us by the higher echelons of our organization, the Akatsuki," Itachi answers in a monotone. Naruto's heart is hammering in his chest, still confused by all of this. Even though he's been able to utilize the power of the nine-tailed fox for some time now, he doesn't seem to realize the full, raw potential he holds. And it's this very power the Akatsuki want to get their hands on.

'_Itachi, please…don't do this,'_ I beg, pressed so closely to him that I can almost feel his heart beating beneath his clothes.

'_I'm sorry, Tami. I truly am. But I have to do what I've been told by the leader of our organization.'_ I clutch at his cloak tightly and he feels my distress. _'You know me, Tami. I follow orders.'_

'_B-but you didn't kill Sasuke,'_ I argue._ 'You disobeyed. Please, Itachi…'_ The toad protecting Naruto disappears, but I can feel Jiraiya's mind tossing around strategies. He's brilliant; his powers are like none I've ever felt, aside from Itachi and Naruto's true, inner strength.

"You two won't get Naruto," Jiraiya promises, and Itachi retorts,

"And why not?"

"Because right here, right now, you two are going to die by my hand." I involuntarily shudder at the thought, and Itachi's hold on me tightens.

'_Nice to know you care.'_

'_Don't rub it in,'_ I murmur.

"Don't do it." Sasuke's voice breaks the silence and I turn to face him, though Itachi's arms are practically the only things keeping me up. My breath catches in my throat as the feelings of his bloodlust return, strong as ever if not more, now that Itachi has his arms around me. "This guy…is _mine_!" This takes everyone aback, that Sasuke's still willing to take on Itachi, but the elder Uchiha says,

"I have no interest in you right now." Sasuke's eyes flash with rage, but before I can blink Itachi pushes me from his chest, thank goodness Naruto catches me, and I feel splitting pain wrack my chest; Itachi drives his foot into Sasuke, knocking him into the wall at the end of the hallway. I groan in pain, doubling over, while Sasuke's knocked all-but unconscious.

"You asshole!" Naruto screams, feeling the impulse to lunge forward, but his preoccupation of holding me up keeps him rooted to the spot.

"Naruto, I told you – don't!" Sasuke shouts, and though I applaud his dedication, I know that this fight's already won. It was won from the beginning. "This fight is mine." Itachi's eyes narrow as he walks closer to Sasuke, and once within reach he sinks his fist into Sasuke's stomach. Blood sprays from Sasuke's mouth as his already-tender midriff is pummeled. Itachi then hits Sasuke hard in the back of his neck, just low enough to avoid knocking him out, then slamming his knee into Sasuke's stomach again.

'_Itachi, STOP!'_ I scream, incapable of more than that. But, using his knee, he kicks Sasuke upwards until he's back on his feet, then he drives his fist into Sasuke's chest, pinning him to the wall._ 'Itachi, please! Don't! He'll die if you keep that up!'_

'_He isn't going to die, Tami,'_ he replies._ 'I won't allow that. He may not walk away from this unscathed, but his hatred for me will be renewed. It will also knock his ego down a few pegs; he's far too cocky for his own good.'_ Retracting his hand, Itachi allows Sasuke to fall forward, collapsing onto the floor.

'_What have I been…doing all this time?'_ Sasuke wonders, his vision bleary and his body unable to move. Itachi bends, picking Sasuke up by the neck and pinning him back to the wall, making me cringe._ 'What the hell…have I…?'_ Itachi shuts his eyes, concentrating, and from here I can feel the immediate surge of fear that races through Sasuke when Itachi's gaze meets his._ Oh no…the Mangekyo Sharingan!_

_You're weak_, Itachi's voice says in Sasuke's mind. Sasuke looks around frantically as Itachi cruelly toys with him, and through the seemingly endless darkness, he sees Itachi standing over their mother and father. _For twenty-four hours…you will relive that day…_ I swallow hard and shut my eyes tightly as I feel agony rip through Sasuke, having to watch Itachi slaughter his family over and over again. Sasuke's cries of pain cut through the hallway, but Kisame seems to be completely unaffected. Over Sasuke's yells he shouts,

"Itachi! I advise you against using your eye so many times in a single day-!" Why? What was the harm, aside from chakra depletion? From above me, I feel Naruto grind his teeth in anger. He gently sets me down, then takes a running start at them, screaming,

"ASSHOLES!"

"N-Naruto, don't-!" I breathe, spotting Kisame as he chases the blonde, but I can't get to my feet and chase after him. The strain of the infection still circulating through my system and the hurt of my freshly healed wounds are finally taking over. _No…damn it…I have to get up…_ But before Naruto gets too far, Lord Jiraiya performs a set of handseals and places his palms to the floor. I suddenly find myself trapped in thick, pink…something. I have no idea what the hell I'm lying in, until I vaguely hear Lord Jiraiya say,

"Too bad, Itachi, Kisame…you're already inside my stomach!" In his stomach? How the hell-? For a moment, Itachi stops, then he returns his gaze to Sasuke, who's trapped within the wall and practically comatose from having his mind addled with.

"You're still weak…still not enough…" He leans a little closer. "Hatred…"

"Black magic to summon the esophagus of the giant toad Myouki Mountain, Rock Inn. I hope you wanted criminals enjoy being food to Iwagama!" Itachi and Kisame seem to understand the gravity of the situation they're in, and Naruto begins to panic.

"Wha-what the heck is going on here?" He tries to lift his feet, but Jiraiya barks,

"Naruto, stay still! Don't worry, it's just my jutsu!" Itachi finally spins around.

"Kisame, come."

"Shit," the blue man swears, wrenching his sword from the sticky ground and following after Itachi as he makes a break for the window, the only route of escape left. Jiraiya, trying to keep them from escaping, makes a quick handseal and presses down on the spongy floor, and beneath me I can feel chakra surging through the muscles. I faintly hear a thought run through Kisame's mind – something about the walls closing in – but I'm far too drowsy to focus fully. Though I resist, my eyes slide shut and within seconds I'm asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hello everyone! Haha, as of this chapter, I am now AHEAD of Quizilla! And this chapter's sad...but it includes something everyone's been waiting foooor! (I really need to post this on 'Zilla Monster, because my readers have been waiting for a year or so for this, if I remember correctly, and I feel bad for depriving them...) Disclaimer tiiiime! I don't own any part of the Naruto series - characters, plotline, cities, houses, nothing! - except for what I made up! I call dibs on that. Enjoy chapter 18!_

**Chapter 19**

When I wake, I find myself staring at the bright, white walls of another hospital room. Thankfully, this one doesn't seem to be too high-maintenance, meaning my injuries just felt worse than they really are. I force myself to sit up a little and notice how stiff my abdomen is, so I lift up my shirt a bit. Gauze is wrapped tightly around my midriff, probably to keep me from twisting or making any chancy movements. I drop the shirt and just at that moment, the door opens. A spiky-blonde head pokes in and Naruto catches sight of me.

"Tami! You're awake!"

"Y-yeah, just woke up. How long have I been here?" I ask. His golden eyebrows furrow a little.

"About a week."

"And…Sasuke?" I ask hesitantly.

"He's been unconscious that long, too." Then his face brightens. "But guess what? I went with the Pervy Sage and found this Tsunade lady who can make him better! Not just him, but Kakashi-Sensei, too!" Tsunade? One of the other Legendary Three?

"R-really? How soon can she heal them?" I ask, sitting up a little more.

"She's already been to see him! She's probably over at Kakashi's house healing him now! Oh! Guess what? She's gonna be the fifth Hokage!" My eyes widen.

"R-really?" Then the full truth hits me – they didn't go looking for her as a _healer_, they went looking for her so she could become Hokage. Her being a legendarily powerful medic shinobi is just a bonus. "Well, that's good. I'm glad they've managed to find a replacement so quickly."

"Yeah, me too!" Naruto agrees enthusiastically. I smile at him and say,

"Do you want to sit down, or would you prefer standing in the doorway?" He hasn't moved since he opened the door. He grins again, shuts the door, and walks over to the seat next to my bed. When he reaches it, though, he stops and a melancholy expression overcomes his face. "What?" I ask.

"You…I've spent a lot of time…sitting next to you while you've been in the hospital," he says, his speaking quiet and slow, as if every word was hard to say. "You keep…getting hurt…because of me and Sasuke. You come after us…and make sure we're safe…and every time, you end up the one getting hurt."

"That's not true," I retort, frowning. "Yes, I follow you and Sasuke to make sure you two are okay, but when we fought Gaara, everyone ended up getting hurt. And this time…" I swallow hard. "Naruto, you don't know what fierce power the Mangekyo Sharingan has. It's what Itachi used to incapacitate both Sasuke and Kakashi-Sensei. It's extremely dangerous; Itachi can make you feel like you're being slowly cut open, or can make you watch the worst times of your life, or make you see your greatest fears…" I shudder as I remember the flashes I'd seen while Itachi had been tormenting Sasuke. "The only reason I got hurt was because I was reckless and left the hospital. That's all."

"But you left for _us_," he insists.

"Well, I'll be fine," I answer. "I have gauze wrapped all over me to keep me safe now, and as long as nothing else happens, I can get some rest. Don't worry so much. I came out a lot less injured than others, believe me." He nods and finally sinks into the chair, seeming a little more at ease. Then he jumps right back up, as if he'd sat on a cattle prod or something. "What the-?"

"I'm gonna go get you some lunch!" he says, looking thrilled by the idea.

"Um…the hospital brings me food, Naruto," I say slowly, an amused smirk crossing my face.

"Hospital food sucks, though! Wait here, I'll be right back!" he exclaims, and before I can answer he runs off. _Wait here? Duh. Silly Naruto…_ I lie back against my pillow and slowly exhale. Every breath I draw causes tingles of pain to spike across my side, but I notice that I'm a little less cold than I've been over the past few days. Hopefully this means that my fever's dwindling and my body's fighting the infection. Ten minutes pass, then twenty, and as it approaches the half-hour mark since Naruto ran off, I begin to suspect that he forgot…Then the door swings open and he walks back in. "Ta da!" He sets a container down in front of me along with a pair of chopsticks, then takes the chair again with his own box.

"Wow, Naruto," I say, surprised. It actually smells really good. "What is it?"

"Just some barbeque stuff. Sorry it took me so long; the place was really full, and it doesn't help that Choji was there…" I snort with laughter and take the lid off my box to find that the food's still pretty warm. It looks like barbeque pork and white rice, with some grilled vegetables.

"It's fine. Thank you, Naruto," I say and he grins at me, a light, bashful blush covering his cheeks. We eat in silence for a few minutes, then I say,

"Have you been to see Sasuke since you got back? I assume he's here in the hospital, right?"

"Yeah, he is. I stopped after Tsunade left, and I think Sakura's still with him." I nod casually, though I feel something stir within my chest. _What the-? Why the hell am I __jealous__? That's ridiculous! I don't care if Sakura's visiting him! It's probably good that she is, just so he has someone keeping him company when I can't_. _AND_, I add_, I would only be visiting to make sure he's alright, as my __teammate__._ _Because he did the same for me when I was injured._ "Tami?" I look up from my lunch and he says, "You okay? You got quiet again."

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," I reply, though my words come tumbling out of my mouth too quickly for that to have been a believable answer. "Just thinking, that's all."

"About Sasuke?" he asks. I shrug.

"Some. I'm just wondering how Lady Tsunade was able to heal him. After all, his injuries aren't physical, they're mental."

"She's a great shinobi, Tami," he says, sounding confident. "Pervy Sage wouldn't have gone to find her if she couldn't have done it!" I nod, then repeat,

"Pervy Sage?"

"Yeah, that guy I travelled with – Jiraiya."

"I know who he is, Naruto, I was just wondering why you call him Pervy Sage. I mean, you do know who he is, don't you?"

"Yeah, he's one of three really powerful ninjas! The…sannin!" I nod, though I'm not completely sure he knows what he's talking about, then say,

"So what's with the 'Pervy Sage' bit?"

"Because that's what he is! He peeps on the girls in the hot springs and watched them swim in a pond when he was supposed to be training me! He's a pervert!"

"…Ah," is all I can say in response to that little outburst. "Well, remind me not to go near the hot springs anytime soon." Even though a bath sounds so fantastic right now…

"Yeah, I will! I don't want that perv watching you!" he cries indignantly, the very thought making his blood boil a little. I snicker and say,

"Calm down and finish your lunch, you hothead." He huffs, but does as he's told. I finish mine and close the box up. "Thanks again, Naruto. That was fantastic, and you're right; it's definitely much better than hospital food." He smirks.

"Told you so! And you're welcome. I'm glad we got some time to talk. It seems like we never talk, at least not by ourselves. Shikamaru and Sasuke were always here when I was, and during that time you were unconscious."

"I'm sorry for making you feel neglected, Naruto," I say teasingly. "Maybe we should start having lunch every week, just the two of us." This brings a smile to his face and he nods.

"Yeah! That sounds awesome!" I sink back against my pillows and my eyelids droop.

"Whoa. I'm more tired than I thought I was."

"Oh? Well, I'll let you sleep, then. I'll see you later, Tami!" With that, he leaves, taking the remains of our lunch with him and tossing them into the trashcan on his way out. Within a minute of him leaving, I fall back asleep.

I wake up early the next morning because I can feel someone looming over me. My eyes burst open and in the weak light of the breaking dawn I can see that it's a nurse. She gives me a disapproving look.

"You really shouldn't have done that, you know."

"Done what?" I ask, a little irritated for having to catch crap so early in the fucking morning.

"Run off. The doctor told you that you were in no condition for movement. What would have happened if you'd gotten into a fight?"

"Well, I threw myself between one," I say nonchalantly. "And nearly got into a skirmish with an S-ranked shinobi. But as you can see, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Her eyes grow wider and angrier as she hisses,

"An S-ranked shinobi? At your age, and in your condition? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I shoot upright, causing her to jump backwards.

"No offense, but don't lecture me," I snarl. "I don't have the patience for that. It's way too late for someone to try to step in and take the parenting role." She purses her lips for a moment and I can hear the thoughts running through her head.

'_All these children, running wild, disobeying rules, getting themselves into danger…what happened to the days of good parenting? I keep seeing children as young as twelve coming in here, bloodied from head to toe, and I don't know what's worse – seeing them like that, or knowing that they only got into trouble because they have no one looking after them…'_

"I appreciate your concern," I say, though my tone isn't any warmer than it was a moment ago. "But I'm stronger and smarter than I look. Not only that, but 'getting into trouble' comes along with being a shinobi. If you didn't want to see people my age coming in with massive injuries, you shouldn't have become a nurse." She huffs, her nostrils flaring a bit, then she scribbles a few more notes onto her clipboard.

"You are to use those-" She points to the wall right near the bedside table and I see a pair of crutches. "Every time you feel the need to get up. It'll help reduce the strain of standing on your abdomen." Then she turns on her heel and walks out. I feel the slightest bit bad for saying that to her, but I'm honest out of principal and callous out of habit. I'm not going to sugar-coat it for her – life sucks sometimes, especially for shinobi. But we move on, and she shouldn't waste time dwelling on ways to prevent the inevitable. I lie against my pillows again, trying to relax. Sitting up that fast sent waves of nauseating pain rippling down my side, so I focus on trying to take deep, even breaths as I wait for the pain to die down. Somewhere along the line I manage to fall back asleep.

Miserable. That's the first thing I feel when I wake up again, sometime in the early afternoon. Well, that sucks. Why the hell do I feel so utterly lousy? Then I realize they're not my emotions, they're…Sasuke's. But that's…that shouldn't even be possible. Sasuke's so far from me, and he and I haven't had skin contact for a week; there's no way I should be able to feel him from this distance. But I can, and it tears at me. This is the lowest he's felt in a long time; miserable, weak, helpless, and so _angry_. I can't see what he's thinking about, but I'm almost positive that I know, anyway. Itachi. He'd done what he said he would – he reawaked the desperate, furious, vengeful part of Sasuke again, just when I'd thought I had managed to help him see that there are other things worth working toward and that revenge isn't everything. I feel a sudden spike of rage from him and wonder what causes it. Early afternoon, Sakura's probably with him (just that would be enough to make ME fly into a rage…), and if Naruto comes to visit me first I'll direct him straight to Sasuke's room. After a few minutes, I feel a wave of surprise, which quickly goes back to fury. What the hell has him so pissed off? But, even from his distance, I can feel that his anger is directed at someone else this time, and I get chills as I consider who it probably is – Naruto.

For a moment, it seems like they're merely talking and I wait for Naruto to leave and Sasuke's emotions to drop back down to reasonable levels, but then Sasuke starts moving. Oh no…where-? They start getting farther from me, and seem to be moving…upwards? I follow Sasuke's mind intently, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of my bed. They finally stop ascending, and I wonder where they are. _The roof?_ Another feeling suddenly hits me; determination to win._ Oh shit…They're not seriously going to…_ I jump out of bed, only to fall to the floor as pain grips me. _Damn it, no! I HATE BEING INJURED!_ I force myself up and grab one of the crutches to sort-of make up for being so cold to the nurse this morning. I hurry from my room as quickly as I'm able to, using the crutch more like a cane than in the way it should be used; I just don't have time to hobble my ass through the halls. I find the staircase that leads to the roof and am forced to stop, my knees trembling and my breath coming in huffs. I think back to Naruto's apology; boy, what a waste of fucking breath on his part! If he really meant his apology, he would stop putting himself in these situations!

I start up the stairs, having to take one at a time because it hurts too much to lengthen my strides any further. Halfway up, I get irritated with the damn crutch and toss it back down to the last landing, gripping the railing and keeping on. I reach the roof and throw the door open, only to skid to a stop. Fire engulfs the rooftop, courtesy of Sasuke, who's shooting higher into the air, and I can feel multiple clones fading away. Sakura spins around and spots me.

"Oh Tami, stop them!" she pleads, her eyes glossed over with tears.

"Wh-what do you w-w-want me to do?" I ask, but I know I have to do something. They're so wound tight, so filled with pent-up anger, jealousy, and competitive drive that at this rate they'll kill one another. But what can I do? I'm too weak to cast an effective jutsu without contact, and throwing myself in the middle of that would be suicide. I can feel someone manipulating chakra within the blaze and as the flames die down I see Naruto and a clone, and in Naruto's hand there's a swirling, blue colored orb. _Wh-what is-? Is that chakra?_ Sasuke spots it as well and I watch as confusion, surprise, and finally resolve pass over his features before he activates Chidori in his palm. "Oh shit…!" I breathe, my nerves really kicking in. If one of them gets hit-!

"STOOOOP!" Sakura screams and she lunges toward them, but I dart after her and catch her by the wrist, stopping her.

"Don't-!" But she whips around and sinks her fist into my right side. Immediate, unadulterated pain sprouts from the blow and I feel myself pale. I only manage a soft gasp before I fall to the ground, my body collapsing as my muscles contract. _That…BITCH!_ She hesitates over me for a moment, guilt stinging her a bit, then she turns and runs off. I draw in harsh, painful gasps as I grip the concrete beneath me, willing the agony to ebb. Please, make it stop…the boys… My heart seizes in terror as I contemplate the damage they'll do to one another if they make contact with those jutsus, but as I try to force myself up, my side throbs and rips a soft, stifled yelp from me. Desperate, I search the surrounding area for familiar minds and then a miracle occurs – I find Kakashi.

'_SENSEI!'_ I scream and he freezes, his mind alerted by my call_. 'We're on the roof! Please, help us!'_ He's up here faster than I could've thought possible and though I don't see what he does, the tension in the air suddenly shrinks. I hear two collisions into what sounds like metal, and following that I hear the rush of water. Kakashi must've directed them into the water reservoirs.

"Why are you so obsessed with your superiority complex, Sasuke?" Kakashi asks and disappointment colors his tone. "That level of Chidori right now isn't an appropriate technique to be used here, against your own comrade. Were you trying to kill Naruto?" I don't hear Sasuke answer; he's angry that Kakashi intervened and that Sakura had thrown herself between them. "Where did such immature behavior come from?" Again, Sasuke doesn't reply. Instead, I feel his presence become farther away, but not before I feel him become riddled with shock. At what, I don't know. Then I hear Naruto scream,

"TAMI!" He races over to me and sinks to his knees, placing a hand on my back. "Are you okay?"

"No," I choke, my fingers burning from trying to grip the concrete.

"S-Sensei!" Naruto shouts and Kakashi hurries over.

"What did you two do?" he demands, his voice equally disappointed and this time a little angry.

"N-not them," I breathe, defending the boys. "HER."

"S…Sakura-chan did this to you?" Naruto asks, stunned. I nod, then grit my teeth against the pain. _Stupid, __stupid__ bitch…_

"T-Tami, I'm sorry," she pipes up. "But I had to do something…the boys…they could've…" I raise my head just enough to see her and give her the most terrifying glare I think I've ever worn.

"I know _very well and good _what they could've done, you STUPID BITCH!" I retort. I can't remember the last time I was this _angry_. "But I also know that you are the WEAKEST, MOST WORTHLESS kunoichi to have EVER come out of the academy! You couldn't take either of those boys on their WORST DAY!" I watch her recoil as my words hit her, and her eyes gloss over once again.

"Tami," Kakashi says gently. "Let's get you inside; Lady Tsunade can help you." He gently flips me onto my back and picks me up, which brings about a small cussing spell from me, then carries me down. Halfway down I say,

"I'm sorry I couldn't have done more, Sensei. Stopped them earlier or something."

"I'm glad you didn't get involved," he replies. "It was far too dangerous for you to have stepped in. You could've died; Sakura almost did."

"I wish she had," I spit acidly.

"You don't mean that," he says tenderly.

"Right now? Yes I do. I may not later, but at this very second, with the pain that she's caused me, yes I do." He doesn't argue any further, but I can feel his distress at how our team's suddenly been turned upside down. He gets me back to my room and sets me down.

"I'll be right back," he promises and I nod, then he takes off. As I lie there, my mind tosses. What happened? Naruto and Sasuke have had this rivalry for longer than I can fathom, but they've never been violent. And I know they wanted to fight, but this…this was so much more than a simple spar to find out who's stronger. _Why is everything falling apart? ...I know why. Itachi. He's brought dissension to our team by expressing favoritism of Naruto and completely dismissing his brother. Why…why does everything have to fall apart like this…?_ Kakashi reenters the room tailed by a tall, beautiful woman. _This is Lady Tsunade?_

"Jeez, Kakashi, why is everyone on YOUR team getting injured?" she complains, throwing him an exasperated look with her amber eyes. Kakashi sighs and shrugs.

"Because we're dumbasses?" I offer, and she turns to me, looking stunned.

"Well, I guess that's one way to put it. How're you feeling?"

"Like shit," I reply, cringing again as another, less fierce throb of pain hits me. "Sorry for taking up your time, Lady Hokage."

"Heh, it's not your fault men are idiots," she replies, walking to my side.

"Tami, I have something I need to do," Kakashi says and I read his mind.

"Going to find the ass and talk him out of it? Good luck, Sensei." He sighs again, knowing he needs more than luck to dissuade Sasuke, and he takes off.

"So you're the granddaughter of Hitoshi, hm?" she asks conversationally.

"Yep," I reply, wincing as she gently probes at my abdomen.

"How's he doing?"

"Fine."

"You know, I knew your grandfather when he was just a little older than you." This piques my interest.

"Oh? What was he like?" She chuckles.

"Very good-looking, and exceptionally bright. And very…level-headed. He almost never got angry. He was also a pacifist; even when provoked, he rarely fought back. Usually just gave them a very wordy telling-off and left while they figured out what he said." I smile.

"Sounds like him."

"Well, nice to know he hasn't changed. I always thought he was amazing; he taught me while I was in the academy sometimes, if the usual teacher was called away on a mission." Reading her mind, I find out that she'd had a bit of a crush on him at points, though the realistic kind where she knew that the ten-or-so year gap between them was insurmountable, and she simply took to admiring him from afar.

"Did he know you had a crush on him?" I ask, giving her a cheeky smirk. She flushes a light pink and gives me an embarrassed glare.

"He never confronted me about it, but I know he knew. After all, you can't hide anything from a Sohma." I nod, a smug grin crossing my face.

"Yeah, that's true." She prods me on my sore right side and I yelp in pain. "Ow, damn it!"

"Cocky brat…" she mutters, but I can feel her amusement. She rests her palm on my injury and I feel heat pass from her hand into my side. Suddenly, I feel so much better; my breathing eases and my entire body seems to revitalize. When she pulls her hand away, I sit up and take a deep breath. No pain.

"Holy shit, I can move!" I say, grinning. She smiles at me and says,

"Still, you should probably take it easy for the next few days. I can only do so much." I nod, still thrilled to be back to almost-myself.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," I say, standing and bowing to her respectfully. She chuckles.

"Well, no need for that, but you're welcome. Tell your grandfather I say hi."

"Will do, Lady Hokage." I then hurry to the window and jump through it, running down the building with ease. Oh man, I almost forgot how good this feels!

Sasuke's P.O.V.

My mind tosses, unrest smothering me like a blanket. How am I still so weak? Naruto's jutsu _blew_ _up_ the water tank, while mine only managed to pop a hole in it. My thoughts dart to Orochimaru. He promised me power…but how much? Clearly my abilities fall far below Itachi's, so I need to find someone stronger… Suddenly, a string flies past and encircles me, then again, and again, until it's pulled taut and pins me where I sit. _Who the hell-?_ I look up and there stands Kakashi-Sensei.

"What's the meaning of this?" I ask acidly, angry at him for disrupting my thoughts and for questioning my motives earlier.

"If I didn't do this, you'd run away. You aren't the type to listen quietly while I preach." I scoff and his eyes are drawn to the curse mark on my neck. He knows I fell under its influence during his fight with Gaara after I left the arena…this worries him. "Sasuke…quit seeking revenge. In this line of work, I've seen how bad guys like you can get. In the end, those who tasted revenge weren't satisfied…it ended in tragedy. You'll only hurt and suffer more…even if you are successful in your revenge, all you'll be left with is emptiness."

"What the hell do you know? Don't talk to me like you understand!" I snap.

"Hey…calm down," he says. Feeling my anger run away with me, I give him a twisted smirk and say,

"What if I were to kill the one you love most? How far would you stray from what you just said? I can make you feel true pain!" His gaze suddenly seems far away and he says,

"That would work, however, unfortunately for me…no such person exists." I grit my teeth, angry at his attempt to seem invincible. Then he gives me a soft smile and says, "Those people have already…been killed." I gape up at him, surprised. Everyone he loves…is dead? All of them? He doesn't have anyone left? "I've also lived in a long, hard era. I understand how terrible true pain and loss are." My head sinks, feeling guilty and pained. So he does know…how I feel…how hard it is to lose everything…Makes me wonder who he lost. A friend? A brother? A lover? "Well! We aren't the lucky ones, but we aren't the worst off." I look back up at him. "Both you and I have found precious companions." My mind goes to my teammates – to Tami. "You should know from your loss…Chidori is a power given to you because you found things important to you. That power is not something to be used against your friends or for revenge. You yourself should know what that power should be used for." He tugs on the string keeping me bound and it comes loose, falling to my feet. "Think hard on whether you can or cannot hold true to what I've said." He then springs off, disappearing from sight.

I sit there, mulling over his words. And I continue to sit there as the sun sets and then well into the night. I can feel my emotions warring within me, wrenching at me. I'm so torn between my desire to kill Itachi and my relationship with my friends, particularly Tami. What would she do if I left? What would she think of me? Would she try to stop me? Visions of her creep into my mind, pondering all the ways she could react. Would she…come with me? I can't imagine…not having her with me. In the aftermath of my family's massacre, I was hollow, the only feeling I'd had was anger, but as time had passed…I'd missed her even before we became teammates. I hated how she'd kept it a secret from me, but that didn't stop me from missing her. She had been so sweet, even though her father abused her, and was the only girl I hadn't despised being around. She's still the only girl I can really stand. But I have to get stronger…Itachi's face pops into my head, those cold eyes looking down at me…_Damn it!_

But my train of thought is derailed when four shadows cross over me. I look up to see four silhouettes against the moon, and they're coming straight for me. They land on the branch in front of me and I take in their appearances. They're wearing getups similar to Orochimaru's, and each of them is wearing a Sound headband.

"Who the hell are you?" I ask. My eyes take in the strangers, waiting for them to speak.

"The four Sounds. East Gate's Kidoumaru," one of them says, this one with dark hair.

"The same. South Gate's Jiroubou," the pudgy one says.

"The same. West Gate's Sakon," the pale one says, his features incredibly feminine.

"The same. North Gate's Tayuya," the last, a redheaded girl, says. The moment their introductions are over, they leap at me. I throw my arms up to block a punch from Kidoumaru, and as he goes past me, I place my hands on his back, leap over him, and slam my foot into Sakon's chest. He flies back into the tree, then I turn and see Jiroubou coming at me, his fist raised. My arm gets trapped in Kidoumaru's belt, but I grasp Jiroubou's arm and, using his momentum, haul him over my shoulder, tossing him and Kidoumaru toward the tree trunk, where Tayuya and Sakon are standing. The two airborne ones slam into the other two and a cloud of dust arises. I watch, waiting for them to come back at me, but as the dust clears I see four logs in their places. Doppelgangers. Damn it. I turn my head to look over my shoulder and there they stand, watching me.

"You caught me at a bad time. If you want more, I won't hold back," I warn, my voice deadly.

"Heh…stop yapping like a wimpy dog," Sakon says, prodding at me. He raises his hand and beckons me with his finger. "Come on. I'll make a nice melody with your broken bones. Do…re…mi…fa…sol…la…ti…do." Without him noticing, I pick up the string Kakashi left behind and spring off the branch. We clash in midair, him swinging his leg in an attempt to kick me. I parry with my left hand, holding his ankle, and I get the strings wrapped around him. I yank and pull them taut, and as we both touch down on the roof I make the string tight, keeping him from moving his feet. He pulls, and when he notices that they're bound he says, "My legs…those strings-!" I crouch and swing my leg towards his face, and right before I make contact he throws his arm up and blocks. I twist, instead driving my fist towards him, but he catches it in his other hand. I yank back and, propping myself up with only my right hand, swing my right leg up. This too he blocks by dropping my ankle and fist and holding his forearms over his head. I smirk – he's wide open. I push off with my right hand and curl it into a fist, driving it towards him, then he mutters,

"Let me hear the music…" I'm pushed away from him by some strange, invisible force as he shouts, "Do! Re!" and I slam into a tree. _Wh-what-?_ I slide down the trunk until my feet hit a branch. Sakon says, "Wow, your bones have a low tone. Let's make…a more high-pitched sound, eh?" _Damn it…where did that attack come from?_ But I don't have time to wonder, because I spot motion to my right and jump up, back-flipping over Kidoumaru's attempted kick. His cheeks suddenly puff and he spits something at me. It hits my arms, which I throw up in a parry, and I realize that it's _web._ Kidoumaru throws his head back and tugs me off my feet, sending me flying. The web comes undone and I fly straight into Jiroubou's head-butt. This sends me soaring straight towards Sakon again, who says, "Let's go with a combination of mi, fa, and sol!" I look down at him and when I reach the roof, I grab its edge and drive my foot upwards, catching Sakon in the chest and sending him upwards. I quickly shoot up after him and get beneath him, planning to use the Shishirendan. I slam my fist into his hip, backhand him in the stomach, flip, and follow up with another shot to the midriff with my other hand, bringing him close enough to finish him. I bring my leg up and drill him into the roof with a sharp kick to his stomach, ending it the same way I had with Yoroi. We slam into the roof and end up going through it, and when we hit the ground, he just lies there. _Got him._ A smirk crosses my face, then a hand grabs me by the ankle. _Wh-what the-?_ Sakon looks up at me and smirks.

"Is that all?" He stands and drags me upwards until I'm hanging upside down. He leaps up to the roof, taking me with him, and says, "Ha, why would Orochimaru wants some weak-ass like him? Kimimaro had much more potential than this one." _Wha…Why? I landed every blow of my attack, yet this guy seems to be unharmed…_ I, however, am worn out. After my match with Naruto, my emotional stress, and now the Shishirendan… Turning his attention to me, he says, "If you stay in the shitty village here, you'll always be weak, like everyone else. You'll never become powerful. Playing family games with your comrades will only make you rot." My thoughts go to my teammates.

"Come with us!" Tayuya says. "If you do, Orochimaru-sama will give you strength!" What I want. What I have to obtain. It's right here, my chance…but…something stabs at me. Something that's five and a half feet tall, with red-brown hair and hazel eyes… The curse mark throbs and I cringe as the pain tightens the muscles in my neck. Sakon then tosses me, saying,

"So what will you do?" I fly into the wall, slamming into it as the curse mark continues to burn. My gaze travels upwards as the four of them come to stand right in front of me. "I'll make this clear – no hesitating. Will you come? Or not? Regardless, it seems it's pointless to bring you against your will. Orochimaru can be a pain. I always end up wanting to kill these kinds of indecisive brats." His threat on my life pushes my final button and the curse mark snaps to life, the marks consuming me quickly.

"Just try it," I snarl, glaring up at him. All four of them are stunned by its appearance and Sakon says,

"You…the cursed seal…" I spring up, ready to pummel him, but he strikes me back with ease. I collapse against the wall again, then look up at him. The marks are also spreading across his face and he licks his lips. "You're not the only one Orochimaru has taken a liking to…" This shocks me._ Just how many people have these curse seals?_ "That seal isn't something you use so carelessly. And well…it looks like you can't control it very well, but if you continue to "throw it open" like that, little by little the seal will erode away your body. Because you are still in the 'first state', it appears the decay is still slow, however, if it erodes you away completely…" I will the mark back, listening to him. So it's like Kakashi said; this mark is dangerous. I only thought he meant the person I become under its power was dangerous, not the mark itself. "You will cease to exist. Forever."

"Instead of gaining power with the seal, you will be bound to Orochimaru. For us, we've already lost our freedom. In order to gain something, you must throw something away," Tayuya says, and her no-nonsense, straight-forward tone reminds me slightly of Tami. "What is your goal? Will you go on forgetting, surviving in this pathetic village, even while injuring your companions? What about Uchiha Itachi?" I jump a bit, startled. How does she know that?

"Do not forget your goal," Sakon says. "This village will become nothing but shackles to you. It would be best to be rid of these worthless ties. If so, you can gain even greater, splendid power. Do not forget your purpose…" Then the four of them take off, vanishing into the night. I sit there for a few moments, mulling over their words. _It's as if they knew everything to say to sway me…_ A leaf lands in my open palm and a vision of Itachi's Sharingan swirls into my thoughts. I crush the leaf in my grasp. _And it worked._

Tami's P.O.V.

After spending hours roaming Konoha, training and getting back my mobility, I go back home and when I walk in, I head straight to the bathroom, running a hot shower and climbing in. _Ahhh, that feels fantastic!_ I smile as the steamy water runs over me, already feeling way cleaner. But as I wash the grime from my skin, my mind goes to Sasuke. _I'm so…worried. I don't like the change that's overcoming him. It…it hurts to watch him act like this, and what terrifies me most is that this could only be the beginning._ All of this is pushing him one step closer to Orochimaru, and I notice that my hands have started shaking.

_Oh, stop,_ I tell myself, but even my will is weak. I sigh, leaning against the wall._ I…I don't know what I'll do if Sasuke leaves. He means so much to me. I hate admitting it, but I also know I can't deny it anymore, at least not to myself. Being around him makes my heart pound…I don't like not being with him…I worry about him constantly…And there must be something deep between us; how else can I explain being able to feel his emotions from such a great distance as I did today?_ I stand there for a minute more, my mind tossing frantically as suspicion, doubt, and worry cloud my thoughts, then I step under the stream so it soaks my hair. _I'm overreacting. Sasuke…he's just panicking right now. He'll level off in a few days, and things will go back to normal. He just needs my help to do it, that's all. I'll find him tomorrow and talk to him, see if I can't get Itachi off his mind…This is just a phase…it'll pass…_ I take in a relaxing breath and finish showering, and after getting out, drying off, and dressing, I head to the kitchen to fix dinner. After eating, I head straight to bed, my bed heavy with a comforting fatigue.

_His back's fading into the darkness, each step taking him further from me and there's a harsh, tearing, excruciating pain in my chest. I open my mouth to call out to him, but no sound arises, so I swallow and try again._

"_Is there really nothing I can say to change your mind?"_

"…_No."_

"_Really? ...Nothing? ...Do I mean…that little to you?"_

"_How…how much you mean to me has nothing to do with this. My whole purpose in life is to kill Itachi, Tami; you have no idea how much I have to do this. I wish there was another way but there isn't." I open my mouth to say something else, but as my lips move, I find that I can't speak anymore. It's as if my vocal chords are paralyzed, rendering me completely silent. "Don't you have anything else to say?" I try to say something further, but again there's only silence. His back is turned to me, so he can't see my lips moving, and he says, "I guess not. Goodbye, Tami." He then keeps walking. I try to scream after him, but I'm still horribly mute and forced to watch him leave. SASUKE-!_

I wake with a start, my nightmare flashing through my head. I shoot upright, gripping my forehead. _Wh-what the hell was-?_ I scramble out of bed and rush to my closet, throwing on my clothes hastily, though my racing heart's making it hard to do things right. _Even if it's not real, I have to check…it was too vivid to ignore…_Once dressed I race from the house, taking off across the grounds.

'_Where the hell are you going at this hour?'_ a voice asks.

'_None of your fucking business!'_ I retort, but even my inner voice sounds panicked. In the blink of an eye, a distant uncle of mine is standing in my way. I skid to a stop and glare at him.

"Don't do this to me! Not now!" I demand and try to go around him, but he moves to block me.

"Where are you going?" he asks. "If you don't come back by morning, we need to know."

"Damn it, just MOVE! I don't have time!" I snap. I try hurrying past him again, but he grabs me around the arm and jerks me to a stop.

"Answer my question," he says, and I grit my teeth. I make a quick handseal and press my hand to his forehead, knocking him unconscious. He falls to the ground and I take off at a sprint, trying to leave the grounds as quickly as I can, before the other night watch members notice his lack of mental activity. I get into town and start running in the direction of Sasuke's apartment._ Gods, why does his place have to be so far from me?_ It takes me ten minutes to reach it and I run up the wall to his balcony. Peering inside, I don't see him sleeping; in fact, I don't see him anywhere. I sweep the room for mental signatures, but there's no one there. My breath catches in my throat and I turn, looking out over Konoha instead. My mind is beginning to cloud as I start hyperventilating, panic seizing me, so I will myself to calm down. Shutting my eyes, I start scanning for his mind in the thousands below. Nothing, and I begin to panic again. _No, come on…Sasuke, please, where are you?_ I open my eyes and take a deep breath, willing my hands to stop shaking, then try again._ Sasuke…Sasuke…_ Finally I begin to get a hit of his mind, but's he's so far away already. There's no way I'll be able to really track him at this distance. I think back to my dream. _This may be a long shot, but if it was a premonition…where was he?_ I focus hard, harder than I ever have, and the picture slowly becomes clearer in my head. I finally see the place I was standing as I watched him walk away, his back fading into the darkness._ I know that path!_ I jump off the balcony and take off after him, praying that I get there in time.

I chase him across the village, finally reaching the place I'd seen in my dream, and I skid to a quick stop, then leap into the trees and get closer. Sakura's here. _How did she know?_ He walks past her and she turns back to look at him, tears already running down her face. "Why won't you say anything to me? Why do you always keep so quiet? You never say a single word to me…"

"I told you: I don't need your help. Don't try to look after me." She stares at him for a moment, then smiles faintly.

"No matter what, you just always hate me, don't you? You remember, don't you?" He doesn't make any reaction to her words, so she keeps on. "When we became genins, the day our three-man team was first decided, the first time we were here by ourselves. You were so mad at me…" From this distance I can't see into her mind, so I have no idea what she's talking about, and neither does Sasuke.

"I don't remember that." She looks stunned, then hurt. But she swallows her pain and keeps on.

"Haha…yeah, I guess you're right…that's all in the past, huh? That's when it all began, though…you and me, with Kakashi-Sensei, Naruto, and…" Her voice trails off and I wonder why she's refusing to tack on my name. Sasuke's eyes dart to the side, also waiting for her to finish the list, but she doesn't. "We did all sorts of missions, just the f-five of us. It was difficult and painful at times…even with that, though…I still enjoyed it." She stops here, then swallows before continuing. "I know all about your past, Sasuke. Even if you get revenge, though, it won't bring anyone happiness. Not even you, Sasuke…nor me…" I snort. As if he was doing this for HER benefit. Sasuke finally speaks.

"I already know…" A confused expression crosses her face and he continues. "I'm different from you all…I can't be following the same path as you guys. Up until now, we've done everything as a group. But there is something else I must do…Deep inside my heart, I've already decided upon revenge, and for that reason only do I live. I'll never be like you or Naruto."

"Do you really want to go back to being alone? You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now, I know your pain! I may have friends and family, but…if you were to leave…to me…to me, I would be just as alone as you…" My anger is welling up with each word she says. She doesn't know loneliness. She never will. How can she claim all of this when she doesn't know him at all?

"From here on out, we all begin new paths," Sasuke says emphatically, barely listening to a word she's saying. He knows how thin her emotions are. She grits her teeth, then bursts,

"I…I love you with all my heart! If you were to stay with me, there'd be no regrets, because every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy – I _swear_!" She's sobbing now, desperation really kicking in, but I'm half on the verge of laughter, half fighting the urge to kill her. Doesn't she know how useless this is? He wants nothing to do with her; in fact, her declaration is probably just driving a thicker wedge between them. "I would do anything for you, so please, just stay with me! I'll even help you with your revenge. I don't know what I could do…but I'll try my best to do something…So please…stay with me…or take me with you if you can't stay here…" She finally falls silent, sniffling with her head bowed. Finally, Sasuke turns to her.

"You really are…annoying." Then he starts walking away again.

"Don't leave!" she bursts, but he doesn't stop. "If you do, I'll scream!" In one quick motion, he's behind her, and her body seizes with panic. He says something I can't hear, then Sakura starts to collapse. He catches her and sets her on the bench, then turns and keeps walking. I drop off the branch and land softly on the grass below, watching his back.

"Sasuke," I say softly and he stops. Worry prods at him, but he coolly replies,

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up. Sneaking out of the hospital again?"

"I've been out since this afternoon. And I've been here the whole time."

"…Where?"

"In the trees."

"How long is-?"

"I heard everything," I interrupt. "And I figured Sakura was going to say something like that to you. I hoped she'd keep her mouth shut, knowing how much of an emotion-phobe you are, but I'm just not that lucky." He snorts and turns to me; his eyes are blank and he's trying to keep his emotions in check. Smirking, he asks,

"So, did you come to say goodbye?" I shake my head.

"Not if I don't have to."

"You can't convince me to stay," he insists.

"I can try," I argue. "If the weakest one on our team is going to, it's only fair that I give it a shot."

"Is that…your only reason?" he asks.

"…No," I admit. _Swallow your pride, damn it, or you're going to lose him_. "Sasuke…Why?"

"I have to," he replies. "Orochimaru can give me power, Tami. I can't become strong enough to kill Itachi if I stay."

"Yes you can," I insist, though my voice is feeble. "Ninja from our country beat two of the three Otonins during the Chunin Exams. We're better than they are."

"The two fighters in that match were weak and lacked focus," he says in reply. "They didn't deserve to be there; something tells me that they were merely pawns, pawns to be used to measure my skill. Besides, he killed our Hokage."

"The Hokage was elderly and far past his prime," I say. "He should have chosen a second successor immediately after the sacrifice of the fourth Hokage; he shouldn't have stayed on as long as he did. Sasuke, please…please don't leave." His face is completely stoic as he says,

"Resorting to pleading, Tami? That's not like you at all."

"That's how badly I want you to stay," I insist, taking a half-step in his direction. "I wouldn't plead if I didn't care. I wouldn't even be here if I didn't care." He eyes the desperate look on my face and I feel the split between his brain and his heart.

'_I have to leave…Don't let her pull you in, you __have__ to do this…'_ he tells himself sternly.

"No you don't," I reiterate in a meek voice. "Sasuke, we _need_ you."

"I doubt that," he replies. Before I can argue, he turns on his heel and starts walking away. "Goodbye, Tami." For a moment I'm frozen in panic, then I burst,

"Is there really nothing I can say to change your mind?" I detest the heartbroken sound of my voice; I hate feeling this weak and powerless against him.

"No," he answers. My heart drops like a stone and I fight back tears as I say,

"Really? …Nothing? Do I mean…that _little_ to you?" He feels a stab of guilt, but it doesn't even make a dent in his resolve.

"How…how much you mean to me has nothing to do with this. My whole purpose in life is to kill Itachi, Tami; you have no idea how much I have to do this. I wish there was another way but there isn't."

"Can you not find another purpose?" I ask, insinuating my true question. "Is there nothing else worth living for other than revenge?" He spins around to look at me, and I can see the conflict in his eyes. I can hear soft, tender undertones, almost as if _he's_ pleading with _me_ to understand.

"I already have another goal, Tami. But I can't move forward until I take care of my past. Itachi has to _die_ before anything new can be started."

"What if you never kill him? Or what if he dies before you get the chance? What then?" I demand. "What if Orochimaru doesn't even have the power to kill Itachi? Will you just wallow in hate and your thoughts of revenge forever?"

"I won't fail," he returns, confident. To that, I have no reply. I simply stand there.

"…Will you ever come back?" I ask.

"…No." I shut my eyes, forcing back my tears.

"Never?" I ask.

"Never."

"Why?"

"There won't be anything left for me here. There won't be a reason to come back."

"…I see." So he doesn't care. I'm apparently not something worth coming back for. This doesn't surprise me, but it does hurt. I should have known that he would do this to me; give up everything at the drop of a hat, just to chase the idea of killing Itachi.

"Just forget I was ever here," he says, turning back to look at me. "Forget everything. It'll make things easier for both of us."

"Oh, for both of us, huh?" I ask and my voice shakes out of fury and misery. "Don't act like you care, damn it, you can't have both sides. You can't leave with no intention of coming back, saying that you won't have a reason to return, then turn around and act like this is going to hurt you, too."

"You think it won't?" he retorts, glaring at me. "I'm getting a little tired of you always acting like I'm the villain, Tami."

"That's because you ARE, you bastard! I'm not the one leaving you behind!" I fire back.

"The only reason I'm not coming back is because I know you're not going to forgive me for leaving in the first place!" he says, his voice low but heated.

"I wouldn't have such a problem with it if you weren't running off to join Orochimaru. He fucking CURSED you! He's manipulating you to get what he wants! Who knows if he really intends on helping you kill Itachi; what if he just wants to get his hands on you? What if he just wants to have under his control the last Uchiha left in Konoha?"

"After dealing with _you_ for this long, I doubt I'll be easy prey to anyone else's manipulation for a while," he retorts.

"Oh, what, are you going to FORCE a SANNIN to train you, Sasuke?" I ask sarcastically. He glowers at me and evenly replies,

"If all he really does want is to merely recruit me, Tami, I doubt he'll be satisfied with my meager amount of training. He isn't going to waste my potential; he'll train me for his personal gain as well as my own." He looks up at the sky and sighs, looking annoyed. "You've delayed me far longer than I thought you would. I figured you'd call me an ass, then head back home, but as usual you simply can't stand to do things the easy way. You gave it your best shot, but I'm still leaving. Goodbye, Tami." He turns around and starts walking away from me again, but before he gets too far I reach forward and grab his wrist. _I doubt this will have any effect on his decision, but…but if he's never coming back…I might as well give him something to remember me by._ He groans and turns around. "What n-?"

I step forward and press my lips to his, and instantly he falls silent. My heart pounds against my sternum and a rush of euphoria overtakes me. _Oh…wow. I've always imagined what it would be like to kiss him, but I…_ I release his wrist and instead cradle his jawline in my hands, memorizing its every curve. Slowly, he gives in, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer. All the emotions he'd tucked into the corner of his mind come rushing forth and barrage him at once; pleasure, regret, elation, sorrow, anger…There's an absolute war going on between his rational and sensitive sides, with the former of the two dominating. He's too willing to push aside his humanistic wants in order to achieve his goals. I've known all along that he would do this; I just hadn't thought to ready myself for when he decided to. Finally, after a time that was far too short, we pull apart, but I can't bear to open my eyes. He's still so close I can feel him breathing; I only wish I could always keep him this close. I rest my head in the crook of his neck, feeling his arms tighten around me in response, and being like this feels so unbelievably right…

"Please…just stay," I murmur, just loud enough for him to hear me. He tucks a lock of my red-brown hair behind my ear and I feel his true, wrenching remorse as he whispers,

"I…I _can't_." I utter a shuddered sigh, my hands gripping his shirt as I feel fresh stings of grief rip at me. He sighs softly at my reaction and presses his lips to my forehead. "Why did I let you get so close to me?" he wonders aloud.

"Because this is what you _need_," I murmur. "Right here. You need this companionship, Sasuke, as much as you don't want to admit it, or maybe as much as much as you don't think so. The bonds between us are so much deeper than with anyone else…we're the only things we really have left. You can't take Sakura's words seriously, but you know you can trust me. A-and…damn it, Sasuke, how much more do I have to do to prove…how much _I_ need _you_?" My voice breaks again, stabbing at his heart. One of his hands comes up and tangles itself in my hair, and he leans back just far enough to capture my lips with his again. His emotions are now tormenting him, urging him to stay here. When he finally pulls away, he whispers,

"Oh Tami…why do you have to make everything so hard?" My body suddenly feels heavy, as if I'm falling asleep, and I start falling to the ground. The last thing I consciously notice before I black out is the feel of arms catching me around the waist before I hit the ground.


	20. Chapter 20

_Hello everyone! Hope you haven't missed me too terribly much. :) This chapter's a little shorter than the previous ones, but you guys deserved SOMETHING. Well, let's get the less-important stuff out of the way... *ahem* I do not own any part of the Naruto franchise, unfortunately. All characters, plot twists, etc., belong to the wonderful Masashi Kishimoto. I DO, however, claim all rights to anything I made up! This includes Tami, her kekkei-genkai, and all additional dialogue/plot I added in. ^^ Enjoy, lovies! _**  
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**Chapter 20**

Sasuke's P.O.V.

I pick Tami up and carry her back to the Sohma compound. Her head is lying gently on my shoulder and it pulls at my heart severely. _Just take her with you_, my mind whispers. _If she needs you so much, she won't mind…_ But I can't take her against her will, and I'm not going to wake her just to risk her saying no. Not only that, but the words of the Otonin come back to me…_It would be best to be rid of these worthless ties…_ However, this doesn't stop me from taking my time walking across town. I lock everything about her into my memory; the shine of her hair, the weight of her body, her scent, the feel of her lips…The moment I cross into their estate I'm surrounded by them.

"What the hell have you done?" one of them snaps, but I hear someone say,

"Aito, that's enough." The crowd parts and Hitoshi walks through them. His blue eyes take me in; my bag, my lack of a headband, Tami unconscious in my arms. _Why is he awake so late?_

'_Ah…so that's what her hysteria was for,'_ he says, and I can hear a melancholy tone in his voice. I cringe slightly; her hysteria? _'She knew you were leaving. Probably through a premonition. She was…very desperate to stop you. But I suppose that isn't enough.'_

'_It's something I have to do,'_ I answer, but even now my conviction is faltering. Having her in my arms this way…or the way I'd held her only twenty minutes ago…it felt too good for it to have been a bad thing. I know this is something I have to do, but why does it feel so wrong now?

'_You don't have to justify your reasoning to me, Lord Uchiha. You are free to make your own decisions, and I will not judge you for it. But…please, do me one kindness.'_ I nod and he steps forward, taking Tami from me and for a split second I almost want to tell him not to. He looks into my eyes._ 'Don't return.'_ My eyes widen and I feel as if someone punched me._ 'Do not write to her. Do not contact her in any way.'_

'_Wh-why not?'_ I ask._ 'What if she asked me to?'_

'_I'm overruling it,'_ he says._ 'This…will destroy her. You have no idea how much you mean to her, how highly she treasures the relationship you two have. It will take her a long time to recover from this, and I don't want it disrupted by anything. She's made a great deal of progress in her powers, and I know some of it is because of you. You gave her something to hold on to, an emotional safeguard. But with you gone, it will set her back, and once she regains stability, I don't want it ruined by anything. I value your desire to improve; now you must show the same respect for her.'_ For a moment, I can't move. After leaving, I can never come back. I can never see her again. I'd told her I had no intentions of doing so, but after finding that she feels the exact same way for me as I feel for her, I was willing to change my plans._ 'It will be easier after some time has passed,'_ he says. Then he turns and carries her away. The night watch encircling me slowly dissipates, going back to their posts. After another minute, I turn and walk away. I backtrack across the village and finally reach the gate. There they stand, the Otonin. Sakon smirks.

"We've been waiting for you, Sasuke-sama."

"What're you doing here?" I ask, arching an eyebrow at him. _Sasuke-__sama__?_

"When we left our village, it was decided for you to be our new leader. Please forgive our rude welcome."

"I don't care. Let's get out of here." _Before I change my mind and go back to her…_ I turn and throw a final glance down at Konoha, my eyes focused in the direction of the Sohma estate. "Now it begins…" I murmur. _And also ends. Goodbye, Tami._

Tami's P.O.V.

I wake with a start just as the sun's beginning to come up over the horizon. _How did I get back in my room? Oh no…_ I shoot out of bed again and, looking around, I can see signs that my haste from last night wasn't part of some vivid dream; my closet's thrown open, the clothes within slightly haphazard from where I'd grabbed things out. I hurry towards the door, but it swings open before I can reach it and there stands my grandfather.

"It'd be best if you went back to bed, Tami," he says calmly, and my pulse begins to climb.

"Wh-where is he?" I ask, but I already know. He's gone.

"Just go back to sleep, Tami." His eyes are boring into mine and I find myself growing sleepier. _Wh-what the hell…?_ I feel my knees tremble a little as my body seems to grow heavier, and my mind starts to dull. He crosses the room to me and pushes against my shoulders, forcing me to walk backwards, and when my legs hit my bed, he eases me down. "Sleep, Tami…sleep…" My eyes start to droop as my head sinks forward.

'_Sleep, Tami…go to sleep…'_ I can feel his influence, snaking through my thoughts and slowly unhinging my consciousness. _He's hypnotizing me! No! He can't; I won't let him tamper with me like this!_ I knock his hands off my shoulders and stand, my legs still weak from how close he'd gotten to luring me into sleep. He steps back, stunned, and I throw a block up on my mind. He frowns.

"Don't do this, Tami. Don't throw away all your progress for the sake of one boy."

"He's not just a boy!" I cry in response.

"Yes, he is. And if he's so willing to walk away from you, he's not worth disrupting your life over." I flinch at the cruel reality of his words. I open my mouth to retort, but I can't think of anything to say back, so I close it. Finally, I say,

"He…he isn't willing. He doesn't…he feels like he _has_ to do this. He _wants_ to stay with me."

"But it's not enough, is it?" he asks. I glare at him, but he can feel the agony wracking my chest at him pointing out that I came in second-place. I spin around on my heel and wrench my bedroom window open, placing my foot on the sill and climbing halfway out. "Where do you think you're going? You can't possibly be thinking of going after him. Those boys are doomed enough." I turn back to look at him.

"B-boys?"

"This morning, Lady Tsunade assigned her newest Chunin the task of assembling a group of genin and chasing after the Uchiha boy." My eyes broaden. _Oh no…_ I launch myself out the window and tear off across the grounds. I know Orochimaru must have sent people to swing Sasuke's thoughts in his favor…and chances are they're still with him, and they're probably extremely strong… The boys are assembled before the gates by the time I arrive, as is Sakura and Lee. As I approach, I hear her say,

"Naruto, this…this is my wish of a lifetime…please…please bring Sasuke back! I couldn't do it! I…I couldn't stop him!"

"It was stupid to think you could," I snarl from behind her. She spins around and glares at me through her tears.

"Oh? And I don't see YOU armed up to go and save him!"

"Saving implies he was taken," I say in a dark voice, returning her glare with a cold, flat stare. "Which he wasn't."

"But he IS being manipulated," she argues, her stance becoming increasingly more defensive as her anger mounts.

"Look, why don't you just shut the fuck up and let me talk to the important people here?" I snarl. She recoils and shuts her mouth, though the hatred in her green eyes says it all. I turn back to the boys. "Don't go." Their mouths drop into gapes, each of them stunned; Naruto's outraged.

"Wha-? Tami, what has gotten into you? This is Sasuke we're talking about! How can we just sit here if he's in danger? I-I mean, you of all people…"

"It's his choice to leave. You five shouldn't have to risk your lives to bring back a single, expendable shinobi, not with how many we've lost already."

"Expendable?" Sakura shrieks. She steps forward and grabs me by the front of my shirt. "H-how can you say Sasuke's expendable? What's wrong with y-?" I cut her off by driving my fist into her cheek, feeling it fracture from the force. She crumples to the ground and Lee cries,

"S-Sakura! Tami, please, control yourself! She's simply distraught!"

"Lee, because I like you, I'll say this nicely – don't chastise me. Sakura should know me well enough to know that I despise every inch of her, and that to touch me is paramount to uncontrollable violence on my half. She's caused me enough trouble, and I am NOT going to take her crap today." I refocus my gaze on the assembled recovery team, who are cautiously waiting for me to continue. "The shinobi that came and retrieved Sasuke weren't novices; they're deadly. I don't doubt your abilities – any of yours – but I do fear for your safeties. You're in over your head here. Just let him go." The boys look at one another, and I can feel their resolve. I sigh. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you." I turn and start to walk off, but Naruto stops me.

"Tami, why…why don't you want us to go? Don't you want him back?" I hesitate for a moment, then I reply,

"I want him to return on his own. I want him to admit that he was wrong, and that he should have listened to us. You five forcing him to return will do nothing but breed further contempt and unrest within him. And it's an invitation for Orochimaru to send stronger, more fearsome foes to sway him again, and invite him to leave all over again. If he wants to go, let him, so we can all make a clean break of our ties, instead of forcing us all to endure the pain of him leaving a second time." With that, I walk off.

As I walk back into town, Naruto's words prod at me. Of course I want him back. After last night, I want him to stay more than ever. I know I care for him; perhaps more deeply than I'm willing to say out loud. Last night was proof. Had someone told me five months ago that I was going to kiss Uchiha Sasuke, I'd have said there was a greater chance of me skinning myself alive, yet I had, and it had been the single most incredible thing I'd ever felt. For those brief seconds, I'd been able to forget that he was leaving and just lose myself in the sensation. But I don't want him to stay if he's going to go back to the way he was when we first became a cell. Arrogant. Angry. Silent. Cruel. Because those aren't the characteristics of MY Sasuke. Maybe I'm being selfish, wanting him to come back and stay the way he is, thus keeping him from his strongest desire…but him staying here is MY greatest desire. I don't want to imagine the horrible things Orochimaru is capable of doing to him, or the fact that Sasuke will blindly follow all of Orochimaru's instructions to gain power. He's throwing himself head-first into unconceivable danger, and he doesn't even care.

I sink down onto a bench, letting my head tilt back and shutting my eyes. _Stupid boys…_ But I can't say that I'm not half-hoping that they do bring him back._ I nearly broke him last night; given a little more time, I might completely tear down his resolve_. I sigh heavily. _I'm as bad as Sakura…obsessed with a boy who's obsessed with revenge. There's no room for affection in his grand, master plan of life…I should follow my own advice and simply move on…_ I groan softly and lift my hand to massage my temple. But the moment my fingers brush my skin, my vision goes black.

_Shattered rocks and debris. I look down and see a lifeless form – a massive, four-armed man dressed similarly to Orochimaru. One of his henchmen. Looking a little further away, I see another crumpled form…Choji. I try to hurry over to him, but his image fades into darkness and quickly a new image becomes visible._

_Blood. Large pools of it, dotting the forest floor. Another Sound henchman is laying there, blood oozing from his mouth. Not too far from him is another bloodied body…that of Hyuuga Neji. His long hair is a mess, strewn across his face, and it's not clear if he's alive or dead. I reach out to him, my mouth open to call his name, but no sound arises and the vision hazes. My heart is beginning to pound in fear, and I dread what I may see next._

_Rushing water. Kiba's hiding behind a boulder, Akamaru pulled close to his chest. His breath is coming in labored gasps, and there's a massive red blotch on his shirt. Blood. Alive, but grievously injured. There's still a chance to save him - A tall figure stops in front of him and I can feel Kiba's dread as his eyes slowly move up to meet his follower's eyes…_

'_If I fail to catch even one, I'll be attacked all at once and that'll be the end of it. That gal's got no weaknesses in both her attack and defense. Heck, she might be pretty good at chess. My remaining arms are twelve kunai, nine shuriken, one flashbang, and one letter bomb. Damn…this makes it seem like I'm playing chess without my knight and rook…' Shikamaru smiles grimly, shutting his eyes and throwing scenarios about in his head as he plots his next move against his opponent. His body is heavy with fatigue already, and there's a constant, nagging worry in the back of his mind about the three he left behind, and the blonde he let go ahead. He's at the end of his rope, almost completely out of options. He finally makes up his mind and pulls out his weapons. He ties his kunai together, with holds them in one hand with his last letter bomb in the other. 'Okay, all set. All that's left to do is do it. I've got nine attacks. This game will be decided in the time between!'_

"_WHAT MADE YOU LIKE THIS? WHY?" Naruto shouts to Sasuke, who's standing nearly a hundred feet away, on the other side of an enormous waterfall. Sasuke hesitates for a moment, then the black marks of his cursed seal start spreading across his face. He coolly replies,_

"_What does any of this…have to do with you?" Naruto flinches slightly at the coldness in Sasuke's tone. "I have my own path. I won't let anyone lead me any other way…no matter who it is. Let me make this clear to you…my childish games with you Leafs are over. Go home." Naruto's eyes broaden in hurt, then his gaze drops as sorrow overcomes him._

"_Choji…Neji…Kiba…Shikamaru…Thick Brows…They all risked their lives to follow you here."_

"_Good for them," Sasuke replies with no concern in his voice at all. He's completely shut down his emotions, using only his fierce desire for power to fuel him. Sasuke turns and starts to walk away, but Naruto springs into the air. The faces of the others, who are all lying dead or close to it, flash through his head and brings about a sudden rage._

"_Why the hell aren't you thinking about your Leaf comrades?" he screams, dropping on Sasuke and pinning him to the ground. He draws his fist back and sinks it into Sasuke's cheek, drawing blood. Sasuke spits it out, getting it on Naruto's cheek, and he replies,_

"_So do I get any stronger staying with those…'comrades'?" This makes Naruto pause, shocked. "I'm going to Orochimaru!"_

"_Orochimaru was the one who killed the Third and tried to crush Konoha! You think he's just gonna give you power for free? He just wants your body to use as his container! You might not come back! You might DIE! I can't let you go somewhere like that!" _

"…_I don't care." Naruto's breath catches in his throat at Sasuke's blatant disregard for his own safety._

"_All I care about is that I accomplish my objective. I can't help it if you're gonna get in the way."_

"_What about TAMI?" Sasuke flinches just slightly at my name, and for a brief moment his 'one-track mind' defense falters. His lips tingle as the thought of our kiss comes to mind, but he pushes it aside._

"_She already knows I'm gone. She isn't trying to stop me from leaving, so why are you?" Naruto's golden eyebrows furrow in disgust and pain and he punches Sasuke once more._

"_You're so STUPID! How can you just LEAVE HER? She cares about you so much! She's saved your life before, worried about you – she's almost DIED for you, you STUPID ASS!" Now Sasuke finally loses his temper; his hand soars up and drills Naruto in the stomach, knocking him off and sending fire through his gut. Sasuke gets to his feet and glares down at the blonde._

"_If you know what's good for you, you won't bring her up again." The emotions are coming back and he fights hard to keep them stifled. Naruto gets back up as well and says,_

"_You can't do it! I'll bring you back with full force!"_

With a harsh gasp, I come back to reality, as if surfacing from being deep underwater. Oh Gods…if they keep on, they'll _die_! I scramble up off the bench and race for Tsunade's office. I reach the building and sprint up the steps, desperately hoping she'll be here. I've heard that she's not exactly the stereotypical, "I'm going to sit in my office and work" Hokage, but please, for once, just be here…!

I burst into the room and there she is, sitting behind her desk and listening to her assistants with an extremely aloof look on her face. Her amber eyes dart to me upon my entry and she immediately sits up straighter, seeing the look on my face.

"Tami? What is it?"

"C-call them back," I pant. "Lady Hokage, you have to call them back!"

"Who?" she asks, her mind darting to the dozens of ninja out on assignments at the moment.

"The boys…the ones you sent after Sasuke!" I reply frantically. "If you don't call them back, they'll die!"

"H-how do you-?"

"I saw it!" I say, cutting her off. I wince slightly and give her an apologetic look for being so rude, but she glosses right over it.

"How far do you think they've gone by now?" she asks.

"I don't know," I answer truthfully. "I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't at least relatively close to the target, though. Please, Lady Tsunade, send someone to go get them!"

"Alright, you go," she says. I choke a bit and say,

"M-me?"

"Yes, you. You know them, know what they would do, and your abilities will allow you to find them faster than any of us can. Also, if you've already seen it, you know where they are and how much time you have. If you reach one of them too late…" She swallows. "…Leave them. For the time being. I'll send a few more people after you when they become available, but our goal is still helping Naruto." I open my mouth to argue, but she says, "Tami, we'll get the boys back. But if you're sure about this, then standing here arguing isn't going to help." I shut my mouth hard, knowing she's right, and instead bow slightly and dart across the room, jumping out her open window and landing on the next roof over. I cross the village and shoot into the woods, heading in the direction the boys had taken off in…who knows how long ago? The sun's changed position a good deal since I met with the search party earlier, so I must have been trapped in my premonition for a while. Usually they don't last very long…are my powers getting weaker? Is using them becoming more stressful on my body? These thoughts prod at me a little, but I push my private concerns aside and focus on the greater task at hand. Every second that passes is a second that throws them deeper into danger…danger they shouldn't have been forced to face to begin with.

As I plunge farther into the woods, I begin to pick up the slightest hit of a somewhat familiar mind, and thinking back to my premonition, I know whose it is…Choji's. I drop a few levels, trying to catch sight of him. Maybe he's still fighting… But I can feel his mental activity diminishing, and it feels like every step forward I take hastens his descent into unconsciousness. I drop all the way to the ground and race toward him. He should be just…behind….these….trees….! I sprint between a few trees and quickly skid to a halt to avoid falling into a crater in the ground. _Who the hell-? It's huge!_ Within the hole is a pretty large man, dressed in clothes resembling Orochimaru's. _So I know I'm on the right track…now where the hell is Choji?_ I look around for him, but he's nowhere to be seen. But he's still alive, and his mental signature is still floating around so I know he was just here. I walk to where it feels strongest and start tracking him down. Within three minutes, I find him…slumped against the trunk of the tree I'd seen in my premonition.

"CHOJI!" I scream, running to his side. I press my fingers to his neck and search for his pulse. _Nothing…_ I move my hand and try again. _Still nothing…shit… _I fold my hands together in seals I haven't made since Squad 7's mission to the Land of Waves. I press one hand to his forehead, the other to his heart, and gently start transferring chakra. Nothing at first, but as I gradually increase the amount, I feel his mind begin to stir._ Thank Gods… for a moment, I was afraid he was gone…_ I want to stay until he wakes, but Tsunade's voice rings in my head…_ "I'll send a few more people after you when they become available, but our goal is still helping Naruto."_ So once I'm sure Choji has a little more time, against my better judgment, I continue on. But not long after I leave him, I feel another familiar mind not far off… Hyuuga Neji's. _The boys are dropping so quickly. What if I can't make it to them in time? I know the strongest of Sasuke's escorts are probably staying with him, so these are the WEAK ones…and Kiba and Shikamaru are left…_

I skid to a stop in another clearing, where I find an Otonin with four arms and, a few feet away, _Neji._ He's face down, crimson blood flowing from the wounds in his shoulder, side, and the multiple daggers in his back. I run to his side and lift his hair slightly, getting a better look at his face. _He's so pale…If his chakra depletion doesn't kill him, these wounds will. He'll die of blood loss before backup can get him to the hospital._ I press my hand to his cheek.

'_Neji? Neji, can you hear me?'_ Silence, but I can feel the slightest thrum of brain activity. He's just a LITTLE less dead than Choji had been. I slowly slide the daggers out of Neji's back and patch him up as well as I can in the course of five minutes, then take a deep breath, folding my hands together. _Shunmin shi no jutsu – art of the deathly sleep. _I lull his body into that deathlike trance I'd entered before, and I immediately feel his blood slow. That should help a little, and at least buy him a bit more time. I then make a few more hand seals and transfer a little chakra back into his system. Once he's reached Choji's level of "stability," I force myself to turn from him and keep running. _Damn it…_ I hate having to leave them behind. They're DYING, for shit's sake, and I don't even have the time to see to it that they can make it until help arrives. _But_, my mind whispers, _Naruto may end up being the one in the most danger…_ I swallow hard. It's true. The look on Sasuke's face...he's not Sasuke anymore. He's Orochimaru's progeny. He won't hesitate to kill Naruto, I know that. Not that any of these Otonin are refraining themselves, but still. I didn't see Kiba or Shikamaru injured like Neji and Choji, so maybe they have a little more time. Either way, I need to catch up with Naruto as quickly as I can.

I dart through the trees, trying to ignore the stinging in my lungs very time I draw a breath and the pain in my legs. How far did they get? For some reason, I don't see any of those boys as being overly fast (maybe because four of the five of them are slackers almost religiously). As I leap from branch to branch, I scan the forest floor below and keep my brain in high gear, constantly searching for minds. I jump over a small gap in the trees, but stop as my eyes catch sight of something. Turning around, I spot it. Standing out boldly against the dirt and grass are deep red splotches. Blood. _Kiba…_ I look around for him, but his mental signature appears to lead away from here, and from the feel of things, he took off quickly_. Shit…I don't have time to chase your ass down, Kiba! Why didn't you stay somewhere close?_ I run my hand through my hair, frustrated and becoming more panicked by the second. I turn and keep racing through the trees._ Maybe Shikamaru's still fighting…Kiba's trail was fresh enough, so I might be able to find Shikamaru…_

My eyes dart to the sky above me and notice how far the sun has descended toward the horizon; it's nearly dusk now. This causes my heart to thud harder in worry. If the sun sets, I'll have an even harder time finding the boys. I'll have to search for them using my kekkei-genkai alone, and fighting in the dark, against these Otonin, doesn't sound like a good plan at all. They already kicked the shit out of Choji and the genius Hyuuga…if the other three split up and are forced to fight at night, they're all screwed. But I suddenly feel activity ahead of me, and both of the minds I feel are thrumming with energy; one of them is familiar. Thank Gods. Shikamaru. When I get close, I slow my pace and zone in on Shikamaru's location. He's hiding in the branches several feet above my head, and I stealthily make my way to his location. His concentration is solely on the girl just forty yards from us, so he doesn't notice me until I cover his mouth. At first, panic seizes him and he inhales sharply.

'_Shikamaru.'_ The sound of my voice in his mind calms him immediately and he turns to face me.

'_Tami! Why are you-? How did you catch up so quickly?'_

'_I'm fast. But that's beside the point. Where's Naruto?'_

'_I sent him ahead. Someone else came and took Sasuke. I didn't want to split me, Kiba, and Naruto up, but we were forced to. I thought we could take the last two on together, but…'_ His explanation trails off as he's overcome with guilt, then his brown eyes snap back to mine._ 'Did you find the other three? Neji? Kiba? Ch…Choji?'_ Choji's name comes out as more of a desperate plea than a question and I feel like someone punched me. I bite my lip hard, wishing that I didn't have to tell him what's become of his best friend.

'…_Shikamaru…I…'_ He reaches forward and grabs my hand, staring at me frantically.

'_Tell me he's okay. Please, tell me Choji's okay,'_ he begs, mostly a personal thought and not directed exactly at me.

'_I…I did what I could. B-but…he…he wasn't looking very good when I left him.'_ Shikamaru's eyes slide shut and his head drops, feeling crushed. The horrid, plummeting feeling of despair clutches him and it tears at me. He sucks in a deep breath, drawing in what remains of his will and looks back up at me. His brown eyes have hardened a bit, trying to go back to being "fearless squad leader".

'_You should go. Naruto's going to need you. This girl looked terrified of the guy who showed up, so he must be really tough. Naruto's good, but he doesn't know how to plan at all and he's not so good at picking up on an enemy's strengths and weaknesses until the very last second.'_

'_You don't have to tell ME that,' _I mutter._ 'But I'd rather stay and help you, then go after him together.'_

'_There's no time. If I beat this girl, I'll be sure to hurry and catch up.'_

'_WHEN you beat her. This bitch might be tough, but I know you're strong enough to take her on,'_ I assure him, my eyes flickering in her direction. She's strong, yes; I can feel her chakra from here. But she's also cocky, her ego rolling off of her in waves. He snorts.

'_It's funny…she actually reminds me a bit of you.'_ I turn back to him and glare.

'_Is that so?'_

'_She's just…a hard ass, that's all. And she's got a mouth that rivals yours when it comes to cussing.'_

'_Uh huh, sure she does.'_ My face softens again as anxiety prods at me again._ 'Are you sure you don't want me to stay? This'll be over quick if we work together. One touch, and I'll have her out cold.' _He sighs.

'_That's just it; she's impossible to get close to. That pipe in her hands controls a bunch of chakra-sucking monsters, and let me tell you, they're pretty quick about drawing out everything you've got. They touched me for a second and they nearly drained me.'_ He looks out toward the girl again and I can feel the gears in his head turning. A genius's mind at work._ 'No…you'd serve the team best if you went ahead and helped Naruto. Our mission is to bring back Sasuke, and that's what we're going to do. You should get going before she notices you're here.' _He turns to me and gives me a weak smile. _'That's an order.'_ I sigh.

'_Fine. But if you die, I'm going to bring you back so I can kill you again in a more painful way.'_ He snorts and I turn, jumping off the branch he's on and going the roundabout way past the girl with the pipe. I manage to slip by without her noticing and quickly pick up Naruto's trail. He hasn't gotten far, thank goodness, so it shouldn't take me long to find him. As I dart through the trees, the strain of the past two days begins to catch up with me. The emotional turmoil from last night, coupled with the almost debilitating fear for my fellow Leaf ninja today, is making it hard for me to focus on the task at hand. Not only that, but I dread having to confront Sasuke a second time. Having to look him in the eyes and see the emptiness in them…the hatred…having to feel the gaping void in him that was once filled with the person I've come to care deeply for…it may be enough to make me crack. I don't want to do this…but there's no way I can turn back now.

I can see brighter light ahead, as well as massive waves of chakra – one of which is the strong, primal chakra of Naruto's other side. Another…it must be that of the fifth Otonin, the one who took Sasuke further ahead. And the third…rolling twists of chakra that I felt while in the Forest of Death...They're different this time, but I know whose chakra it is. I burst from the trees and touch down on the grass of the sprawling field, and as I set eyes on the scene before me, I spot him. His back is to me, and I can hear Naruto's bellows.

"CAN'T YOU HEAR ME, DAMN IT?" But the onyx-haired one pays no mind to him and takes off, disappearing into the forest beyond. In a split-second, the tall man before Naruto gets behind him and raises his arm to strike. I feel something fly right by me and dives between Naruto and the stranger, delivering a powerful kick to his chest. I recognize the green blur and my jaw drops._ Is…is that really…?_ The stranger skids to a stop and says,

"And you are?" The boy in green straightens into his signature stance and replies,

"The Leaf's proud azure beast has reincarnated…My name is Rock Lee!" My lips split into a smile and I dart toward them, taking up a spot beside Naruto. His blue eyes widen at the sight of me and he blurts,

"Tami!" Lee shoots me a glance over his shoulder and I say,

"Good to see you fighting again."

"What about your body?" Naruto asks, feeling a tad guilty for Lee's presence.

"Don't worry!" Lee reassures us. "Naruto! Tami! You gotta go get Sasuke! Leave this guy to me."

"Thick brows, be careful! This guy uses his own bones as weapons!"

"Bones…?" Lee asks, looking at Naruto. I eye the sword in the stranger's hands and sure enough, they look like he'd stolen parts off a skeleton.

"That guy's insanely strong," Naruto says. He wants to tell Lee not to risk it, but before he can say anything, Lee gives us a thumb's up and says,

"What're you doing? Hurry, go! You made a promise to Sakura with our nice guy pose, too, didn't you?" Naruto thinks back to what he told Sakura before he left, and Lee continues. "I will defeat this person! That's a promise!" _But at what cost?_ I think miserably. I sigh, then turn to Naruto.

"Come on…let's go before he can get much farther." Naruto nods and I throw one more look at Lee's back. "Be careful, Lee. Kick his ass, then get yourself back home." I can see into his mind; he's barely out of the operating room. He shouldn't be here. Yet he followed us all the way here and is willing to stay behind and take on possibly the most dangerous fighter in Orochimaru's arsenal. I swear every male Genin in Konoha has some kind of fucking death wish. Lee chuckles and says,

"Don't worry about me, Tami. I'll see you back in Konoha!" I nod and Naruto and I dart off. I just hope it won't be the last time I hear those words.

Naruto and I leap from branch to branch, silence between us. I throw a glance at him and see the determination still in his eyes. Even after all this…he's still not giving up. I hate having to be the one to keep bringing him down, but he still seems to be refusing to see sense.

"Naruto…why do you insist on pursuing him? Do you not see the damage that's been caused already?" he throws me another reproachful look and replies,

"Why are you so quick to let him go? I just don't get it. You're the closest person to him; I thought you'd be working the hardest to bring him back. It just makes no damn sense!" I huff exasperatedly.

"Look, you haven't seen the state the others are in. Neji and Choji are in critical condition, and I bet Kiba's not in great shape either. When I saw Shikamaru last, he was exhausted. You guys are going to DIE if you keep this up. You were stupid enough not to heed my word before, but maybe now that you know just how serious this is, you'll finally shut up and listen. This mission is STUPID." He grits his teeth at my tirade, but remains silent for a moment, mulling over what I said. Finally, he retorts,

"Well, we've come too far and have gotten too close to just let him go now. If we turn around, the sacrifices everyone's made for this will be in vain. I don't want that to happen. All I have left to do is keep moving forward." As much as I hate to admit it…he has a point. I fucking HATE it when Naruto wins, because it usually means we get dragged into some tiring and painful debacle. But I don't see any way around it now, so we press on. I hear rushing water ahead and throw my arm out, stopping Naruto.

"We're close. We make it to the waterfall, and that's where we find him."

"About that…Tami…I want to face him alone." My jaw drops.

"You WHAT? Are you fucking INSANE? You have no idea how powerful he is, and what's more, he has no reservations. He will KILL you if he gets the chance. But if we face him together –"

"No…Tami, this is something I have to do. I have to prove to Sasuke that I'm his equal. If I take him down, he won't feel like he has to leave."

"Yes he will! One of the reasons he wants to leave is because he's started to feel INFERIOR to you! He sees your power and feels threatened by it! Trust me, Naruto; taking him on by yourself isn't the right thing to do!" His eyebrows furrow together, surprised and slightly put-out.

"I still feel…like I have to do this. Tami, please. I…I want to confront him alone. There are things…that I have to say that only he should hear." I utter a growl of frustration. _Men! Them and their stupid fucking pride!_

"Fine! But I'll be in the trees nearby, and if things start looking bad, I'm going to jump in. Understand? Because I refuse to lose any more of my friends today." He hesitates, but nods. "Okay. Then I guess we should split up here. Just know…I'll be close." I hold my hand out to him and he takes it, allowing me to get a nice, full hit of his mental signature. "I may not get readings from you as strongly if you get far from me, but with this, it'll be easier." I take a deep breath, steadying my nerves. "Go; he's not going to wait for you." He nods and takes off, while I circle around the other way. Chills run down my spine as I get further from him, and that cold, anticipatory feeling wells up in my stomach. I'm terrified of what the outcome of this fight will be, but I know it won't be anything good no matter how it turns out. With every leap, I move closer to the edge of the forest, the sound of the waterfall growing louder. At last I reach it and hide among the branches, out of sight even though I'm on the other end of the massive lake at the base of the falls. Even at this length, though, I can see the silhouette of someone crossing the tall, imposing figures guarding this place, Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage. _It must be Sasuke…and Naruto's undoubtedly right on his trail…_

He walks across the head of the First, then leaps the impressive distance between the two and lands on Madara. He doesn't even notice when Naruto shoots from the trees and darts across the First's head, but Naruto shouts to him and he finally stops. I take another deep breath, clutching my stomach as it twists uncomfortably in anxiety. _Here they go…and once again, I'm helpless to do anything but watch. But this is between them…their rivalry ends here._ I watch as their conversation ensues, following the same flow as I'd seen in my vision. I can't hear them, but hints of their emotions reach me and I can track the path of their discussion. Blows are exchanged, just as I foresaw, and the fight begins.

Sasuke's the first to deliver a fierce blow, sinking his fist into Naruto's stomach and sending him flying off the statue and into the water. It takes a moment, then Naruto stands and takes a running start at Sasuke again. As Naruto leaps up, Sasuke jumps down, and the two collide in midair. Naruto throws a punch that Sasuke dodges, then the onyx-haired Uchiha retaliates with a swift kick to Naruto's face. The blonde is sent hurtling back toward the water, but before he hits it he creates a swarm of clones. They clutch one another's ankles, forming a chain and flipping back around. Sasuke's stuck himself to Madara's hair and as the Naruto chain swings around one of their feet catches him in the jaw, knocking him down into the stone. Sasuke slowly gets to his feet, Naruto springing to the tip of the statue's finger with him, and Sasuke darts forward, sinking his fist again into Naruto's gut. This knocks the blonde back into the water. When Naruto surfaces, he looks up at Sasuke, wiping water from his face. Words are exchanged, Naruto shouting up at Sasuke. Then they run at one another again. They catch each other's fists as they attempt punches again, and they finally pull apart, Sasuke still on the monument and Naruto skidding to a stop on the surface of the water. A shudder rips through me, the sinking feeling in my stomach growing worse and the discomfort nearly to the point of pain now.

Sasuke folds his hands together in seals I've seen him do half a dozen times now, and Chidori lights up in his palm. As he starts his descent toward Naruto, the blonde makes a singular shadow clone and the two collaborate to generate a swirling ball of chakra within his palm. They're the same techniques they used on the roof…Closer, closer…their hands collide, trapping both jutsus between them. The power is enormous, and I know it's only a matter of time until they reject one another. Sure enough, a beat later both boys are thrown apart, sinking underwater. Sasuke surfaces rather quickly, on his hands and knees, but Naruto doesn't bother, slowly floating to the top and lying there. Even at this distance, I can feel how miserable he is. Having to fight Sasuke, knowing that it's Sasuke's goal to kill him, is the hardest thing he's ever done. He slowly gets to one knee, staring at Sasuke. Pressure tightens my left shoulder and my eyes dart to Sasuke. He's so far I can barely see them, but the thin black marks start to crawl across his skin. He has absolutely no regard for the damage it could cause now…

Sasuke says something to Naruto, who for once doesn't have anything to say in response, then he folds his hand together and exhales a massive fireball, sending it right for Naruto. The blonde leaps over it, but Sasuke's right there, intersecting him perfectly and slamming his foot into Naruto's chin. He falls back into the water, once again not even putting in the effort to resurface. He sits there, on his hands and knees, and Sasuke lands in front of him. The Uchiha spins right back around and glides up to Naruto, sinking his fist into the other's stomach. He follows it with a brutal right cross to his cheek, then clutches Naruto by the collar and hoists him up. Chidori crackles to life again, this time seeming to surround Sasuke's entire forearm, and Naruto's at Sasuke's nonexistent mercy. Naruto's chakra levels suddenly skyrocket, but it's too late. Sasuke drives him arm into Naruto's chest and I cover my mouth to stifle a scream. _NARUTO!_

I shoot from my place and start racing around. _Enough. I don't care how much Naruto wants me to stay out of it. This is ending right now. I'm already losing Sasuke – I'm NOT losing Naruto, too._ Sasuke withdraws his hand from Naruto's chest, which appears to have missed his heart and instead punctured his shoulder. From this far I can't assess how serious the damage is, and I can only pray it missed something vital. Naruto's limp in Sasuke's grasp and Sasuke's hand goes to Naruto's throat, ready to strangle him the rest of the way, but before I can get all the way to them, Naruto's chakra soars back up, his hand catches Sasuke's wrist, and his head snaps up. Sasuke springs back, clutching his wrist and staring at Naruto in awe. The massive red chakra I've seen before is hovering over Naruto like a guardian, and I can see the outline of the nine-tailed fox. _Incredible…_ The wound in Naruto's shoulder begins to smoke, and I feel the pain dissipate rapidly as it heals. Over the rush of the chakra and the water at his feet, Naruto shouts,

"You won't go to Orochimaru! Even if I have to break the bones in your arms and legs, I will stop you!" Sasuke barely has time to think before Naruto launches into the air, swinging a hand down at Sasuke. He blocks, but Naruto's strength overpowers his and he's sent underwater. The sudden change in him takes Sasuke completely aback, and as Naruto comes for him again, he makes handseals and uses another fireball jutsu. Naruto blows through it like it was smoke and drives Sasuke further down. He also sinks underwater, barraging Sasuke with a series of hits before knocking him completely out of the water. Sasuke's body hits the wall and craters it, and as he starts to fall forward Naruto jumps up and pins him there. I'm so close now I can hear Naruto say, "Wake up already! If you're still not sure, I'll break you like a stick and bring you back immobile!" However, Sasuke just snickers softly and replies,

"Shut the hell up. What do you know about me? Someone like you, without parents or siblings…You had nothing in the first place! What the hell do you understand about me? HUH?" This stuns Naruto enough to relax his grip and rid himself of the fury of the nine-tails. Sasuke kicks him back and continues, "We suffer because of our bonds! You don't know how it feels to lose them! You-!" Naruto softens, standing a few feet from Sasuke. It's the first time Sasuke's shown emotion since they faced off, aside from his small burst of anger about me earlier.

"I don't understand…about real parents or brothers…but…when I'm with Iruka-Sensei, I wonder…I wonder…if it feels like being with a father." A silence falls between them, though Naruto's statement serves to lessen Sasuke's outrage. "When I'm with you…I wonder…if it's like being with a brother." A moment passes before Sasuke says,

"Why…why do you go this far for me?"

"For me…it's one of the first bonds I've ever had." This strikes a chord within him, because it's the same thing I said to him once. "That's why…I must stop you!" Sasuke's eyes widen, then slowly lid as memories barrage him. Naruto's finally prodded the old Sasuke…the one who cared for his teammates…the part of him that still wants to stay… However, his lapse in resolve lasts only a moment before he stands. He reaches into his shuriken pouch and withdraws his headband, ties it around his head, and says,

"Come, Naruto…I'll break that bond!"

"Break them…? Then why…? Now, your headband…" Sasuke smirks.

"I will acknowledge…that you're strong." Naruto's head shoots up. "Because…you're someone who knows the same pain of loneliness as I do. And that pain makes a person stronger. Because of that, by severing these bonds, I will gain even greater strength." Naruto swallows, disheartened. For a brief moment, he'd thought he'd finally broken through to Sasuke. "From now on, we fight as equals. But you won't be able to put a scratch on my headband. That much hasn't changed. No matter what you say, it's useless. The time for talking is over…from now on, we only fight."


End file.
